Check out The Reliques

www.thereliques.com

http://thereliques.wordpress.com/

Play their song Love of God from the right navigation bar on my homepage and then purchase it so you can enjoy anytime! 

Traveling Pants

 This spring my rapid rewards and Marriott rewards accounts have grown substantially. Thanks to the good sense of MD&M, Renewable Energy World and PROMAT for choosing locations such as Anaheim, Tampa and Chicago for their trade shows.  Not to mention personal trips have taken me to Washington D.C, Nashville and Madisonville.  It been a worldwind and I CAN.NOT.BELIEVE today is April 1, no fool'n.   Anywho, my suitcase is ready to be empty for a while and my car is tired of sitting in long term parking at the airport. Each location had beautiful views, so I leave with a few from each city.

PCDC Booth, the reason for each trip.

Anaheim Convention Center

Anaheim Convention Center

The original 1952

The closes I got to the beach, Luguna Beach.

Bye Bye California girl
Hello Sunshine State

Downtown Riverwalk

Bayside

Bye Bye Florida
Hello Windy City

Downtown view from McCormick Place Convention Center

 The hotel in Chicago was very hard to leave, it was posh and spoiling, but nothing beats sleeping in your own bed.

Let's Rodeo

We are ready to dust off 'em boots and head out to Rodeo Austin!

Rodeo Austin HotSpots include: Rockin A Outdoor Stage, Swifty Swine Pig Races, ChowTown, Kidstown, Western Shoot Outs, Town Square, BBQ Cook-Off and Luedecke Arena.

Tonight Josh Turner is playing on the main stage and I am pumped to see hear him play. 

Can't leave out the fam.

The  Main Stage Line-Up also includes:

Eli Young Band
Big Time Rush
Dierks Bentley
Jason Derulo
LeAnn Rimes
Easton Corbin
The Band Perry
Ronnie Milsap
Joe Nichols
Joan Jett & The Blackhearts
Clay Walker
Loretta Lynn
Kevin Fowler

YEEEEHAWWWW!

President's Day Projects

I am always happy to honor our Presidents.  Especially when honoring them entails a day off of work and an opportunity to shop, run, make pillows and decorate for spring.  It has been in the mid-70's lately, which is encouraging the Spring feeling, fresh colors,  new growth and a trip to Jo-Ann fabrics (after a trip to Pottery Barn, for inspiration).

Inspiration Photo

Pottery Barn

 

 

 

 

The simple palette, fresh vibe and a different use for the glass votives is what I wanted to incorporate in my home.  So Sunday after church, a nap, and armed with this photo,  I picked up a slew of items at Jo-Ann's to make 4 pillow slip covers, a new table center piece, and a few random items that slipped into my basket. 

4 yards burlap

3 yards fabric

no sew hemming tape

white tulips

moss

butterfly stencil (random)

white paint (random)

brushes (random)

Sunday night while watching Secretariat ( yes I am still working on movies listed here),  I wrestled the burlap into a table runner and two slip covers for pillows.  Going into this project it was my intention to use the no sew hem for the entire project.  I really  haven't been on the project scene long enough to own a sewing machine so the no sew hemming tape is perfect, or so I thought.  It is perfect for hemming, hence the name, but it is not perfect for holding the front and back panels of a pillow together.  For that I turned to the glue gun. All in all, I am happy with the final products.  Monday, I completed the two larger pillow slip covers also using the no sew hemming tape for all the hems of the pillow but did have to use the glue gun again when putting the panels together.  Each pillow has 1/2"seam on all sides and 1/4"sem on the back opening.  The project took two movies to complete.

 Final Products

Fresh look for old pillows.

New additions for my Grandmother's needle point pillows.

 

 

Spring table decor-not sure what is going on with lighting in this photo.

Giddy Up, Gals..

To a salon near you for a quick mani pedi with new hues from the OPI TEXAS collection!

Images from of Caplan Miller

This gives chic cowgirl a new name!

Happy Valentine's Day

My Valentine is out of town, so I will be celebrating with a wonderful group of ladies and eating

 and giving

Happy Valentines Day!

2411 RHOB

When cleaning out your inbox you never know what you will find that brings back fond memories.  This exact scene could have happened any day of the week while I was working on Capitol Hill.  Sniff, Sniff, Tear.  I was not the typical policy guru or CNN addict that you usually find upon entering in the halls of Congress. 

WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 5:  Staff Elizabeth Leasure comforts "Nigel" a male jack russell owned by Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-KY) (NP) who brings his dogs to the office everyday.  Nigel has to sniff anyone new entering the office and has made an excellent greeter to visitors.  Whitfield, like several other lawmakers and staffers on the hill bring their dogs to the office every day which lightens up what can be an intense environment on the Hill.  (no id on man coming through door).  (Photo by Linda Davidson / The Washington Post)

 It never made The Post but makes me smile!