Saw It, Pinned It, Did It- #14

Hooray for Thursday....that means it's time for another round of SPD with the fabulous hostesses Katie & Stephanie.

For those of you that don't know, I have a small side business of making onesies for the most precious little children. I get really busy when all my friends start having babies or know friends that are having babies. Business comes and goes in spurts, but it seems like everyone comes to me with requests all at once. Right now is one of those times. I feel like all I have been doing on my days off are making onesies....and that's fine by me. Since that's all I've had time for, I wasn't able to make anything else for this week's Saw It, Pinned It, Did It.

A little girl was in the salon last week with a homemade OU onesie on. It was so cute because on the baby's bottom was an upside down "hook em horns". I loved it and knew I had to re-create the look. So technically, I did not get this idea from Pinterest, but it still counts right because I created something?

Here is my version:

To all you Texas fans: sorry I'm not sorry if this offends you.

 

I also made this little outfit for the same little girl.

 

 

I also decided to step out of my comfort zone and do a Pinterest inspired outfit. Let me just say, I am no style guru by any means.....I am a complete failure when it comes to fashion and style. I normally get made fun of by my friends for my clothing selection therefore, this is really uncomfortable. I can only wear black, white, and grey to work so that makes it extra challenging. I own quite a few black, white, and grey mini skirts and I hate that I can't get any use out of them in the winter. When you can only wear three colors, you run out of options. Therefore I went to Pinterest, wondering if it would look okay to wear leggings with a mini skirt and I found some cute inspiration.

 

Here is my Pinspiration:

source: buytrends.com

And here is my version:

I know mine is no where near as cute as hers, but it counts that I have a cute dog photo bombing my picture, right?  I feel awkward taking pics of myself in a mirror, but that's what you have to do when no one else is home to take it for you :)

 

Head over to Stephanie & Katie's blogs to check out all the other goodies linked-up. You won't be disappointed.

My Weekend With Aaron!

 

Besides my 8 1/2 hour drive (it was supposed to only take 7 hrs) to see Aaron, our weekend together was PERFECT! Exactly what we both needed.

 

I was able to get off work two hours early so I could get a head start on my drive. I was supposed to leave work at 7pm and arrive in Arkansas at 2am. Instead, I left work at 5pm and got there at 1:30am (my last two appointments cancelled last minute). Not much of a head start. I ran into construction just outside of Tulsa and crept along like a snail for about an hour. Then, I missed my exit in Springfield and went about 40 miles out of the way before I realized I was completely lost. I bought the Nicholas Sparks' book Safe Haven on CD so I could listen to it on the way to keep me awake. I was so into it that I missed my exit. Mass panic attack ensued afterwards on the phone with Aaron. He was a little freaked out and I was furious with myself and so exhausted....but I made it and the rest of the weekend was perfect!

 

I am proud to say that I brought my Jillian Michael's 30 day shred workout DVD and we both did it together all three days. Aaron learned just how good of a workout it is. He was drenched in sweat afterwards and very sore the next three days. After working out his hair was soaking wet and he ran his fingers through his hair. He turned and looked at me and I about lost it.

 Hello Ace Ventura, Pet Detective. I think I'll just call him Ace from here on out. He regretted letting me take the picture after I sent it to a few people. I warned him it was blog worthy and I'm sure he will kill me for sharing it. I thought it was too funny not to post. Needless to say, he got a haircut shortly after this.

 

Saturday night we drove to Jonesboro, AR and had dinner at Olive Garden, did a little shopping, and then went to see Safe Haven. We both thought the movie was good and would recommend it.

Before heading out to dinner

 

Sunday we went to the First Baptist Church in town and really enjoyed it. We think it might be a good fit for us. I still want to visit a few other churches before deciding, but I definitely think we will be going back there.

 

Sunday afternoon we took a drive and explored the area. We also went to a national park site thing and took a short hike. The weather was beautiful!

 

 

 

Afterwards, he took me to meet his work buddy and his wife and we hung out with them while they fished on the river. They were super sweet and cool. They are a young couple who are fairly new at the whole married thing. We had dinner at a local Mexican restaurant with them and then they came over to Aaron's house and we watched Taken 2. It was a fun double date night and I look forward to hanging out with them more in the future.

 

Monday we had a nice breakfast at a restaurant on the river. Then, we both found a few treasures at a local antique shop. We spent the rest of the day enjoying another movie indoors while it stormed outside. After the movie, I packed up my things and headed back home.

 

I did take another load of my junk to his house. The car was packed pretty tight and we made some progress on the house. I am proud to say all my boxes have been moved (not including stuff I'm using at my house right now) and all but two of those boxes are unloaded. It was like Christmas again unloading all the boxes. I totally forgot about everything I had. Some of the stuff I haven't seen since college.

 The trunk all loaded up

And the back seat

 

Here are a few pics of our progress in the kitchen/dining room.

 

 The dining room. His friend already made fun of our "eat" sign. I happen to LOVE it. The guys just think it's dumb.

 

 Aaron hated the silverware idea and refused to put it up, but now he actually likes it and it has really started to grow on him.

The "be grateful", "spoon full of sugar", and "roll with it" signs that I printed off of Pinterest for free. I think they're so fun.

The silverware starburst mirror I made.

Aaron got a deep freeze from his parents for Christmas this year. We had the perfect little opening for it in the kitchen. I'm thankful that he has a separate place to store his wild meat. I put my chalkboard on the top of it to give it a little more style and Aaron said that wasn't going to work because he would have to move it all the time. I told him he could do whatever he wanted with it when I left. I also asked him what he wanted the chalkboard to say.

This was his response. No lie, he woke up the next day and erased the 61 and put 60. Excited is an understatement! He is too funny :)

 

 Of course, I had to put our shutter bulletin board up in the kitchen to display all our favorite stinkin' cute friend's kids and their cards they send us. Keep them coming friends. I love looking at them everyday. It makes me smile!

 

 These are our new kitchen towels my mom bought for Aaron. I was so proud that he had them up and was using them when I got there.

And this is the other kitchen towel. CUTE!

 Lastly, Aaron has his "new boat fund" piggy bank sitting on the dresser in his room. One of the treasures I found that I totally forgot I had was my "salon money" piggy bank. I thought this was the perfect home for it. We really do need to start saving for those things :)

Aaron will be in his hometown in 3 short days and I'm going up there to watch him try on his wedding tux/suit. Can't wait to see him again soon!

 

Saw It, Pinned It, Did It- #13

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY, FRIENDS!!

Hope you guys have a fabulous holiday. As for me, I will be spending the holiday by myself . The good news is, I will be heading to see Aaron on Friday and will be staying until Monday!!! I've got a lot to do today on my day off to get prepared for my weekend. I'm taking another huge load of junk to our future house. We've got a lot of fun things planned for the weekend including unpacking boxes, decorating the house, meeting his new friends and going on a double date, and finding a church to call home :) I am super excited!

 

Anywho, let's link-up for SPD with Stephanie & Katie.

 

Here is my Pinspiration:

 source & tutorial:http://www.savvysugar.com/Cute-DIY-Tumblers-26123676

 

 

And here is my version:

 

 

 

I was a little bit skeptical about whether or not this would work once I tried to wash the glasses, but I'm happy to say that it did. I used mint green acrylic paint for half of the dots and the other gold dots were done with my gold leafing paint pen. After I painted all the dots then I let them dry for an hour. Next, put them in the oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. After they have cooked, leave them in the oven to cool for an hour. I let them sit out for 24 hours before I touched them to make sure they were good and done. When you wash them, make sure you use a soft rag and dish soap. Don't scrub away at them and don't put them in the dishwasher. I washed mine pretty hard with a rag and they were just fine. I LOVE them!! They were super easy and cheap. I bought a box of 4 stemless wine glasses at Ross for $6 and the other supplies I had on hand. I will definitely be making more of these :)

 

Hope you're day is filled with lots of LOVE!

On Long Distance Relationships.....

 

I've had a lot of people questioning me lately about long distance relationships and how Aaron and I make ours work and how we feel about living under the same roof in a few short months. Here are a few answers to your questions.

First of all let me say that yes, I do believe long distance relationships work. Let me also say that they do not work for everyone and I think it takes a very strong bond and two people that really love each other a lot to MAKE it work.

Aaron and I were lucky that we met while living in the same town and that we were able to spend two years together before we switched to long distance. I think it would be extremely hard to meet some and begin a relationship long distance.

When we met, we instantly clicked and knew this would be something that we knew could last if we preserved it. We both knew that eventually Aaron would have to attend another college because our school did not have his degree plan. Never once did I encourage Aaron to stay for me because I did not want him to settle for a different degree. Of course, Aaron asked me to go with him to Tahlequah, but we both knew I was super happy where I was and would stay and finish out my last two years of college in Fort Smith. I truly appreciated that he did not beg me to go, or make me feel bad for staying. He encouraged me to do what I wanted to do. We always said that we knew what we had was special, but the long distance would be the ultimate test to see just how strong our relationship was. Some people would say that an hour and a half is not considered long distance, but it is still distance and it was still hard.

During those two years, we managed to see each other once a week.....sometimes every two weeks depending on what our schedules were like. We would go visit each other on the weekends and it was always so much fun. I would go visit him and meet all his new friends and he would come visit me and see all his old friends. It was great and I loved every minute of it. The week leading up to a visit, I was always so excited because I had something to look forward to. What they say is true...distance really does make the heart grow fonder. You don't take for granted the short amount of time you have together, so you make every second count and you make it a point to not argue or bicker, but to fully enjoy every minute you have together. The hardest part about our college days were the times when Aaron would be going to hang out with his new friends and I would be going to bed early because I had 5:30am pom practices the next morning. Those nights were hard because I would want to talk and he wouldn't be available and then you lay in bed letting your mind wander. The same was true for Aaron. There would be nights that I was going out with friends and he was going to bed early to get up for hunting. That was pretty much the hardest time for us. I will have to say that it involves a lot of trust and thank goodness we both trusted each other a lot. If you are a jealous person and don't trust your partner then I can't imagine ever making it through a long distance relationship in college.

Neither Aaron nor I are big phone talkers. Matter of fact, we both highly dislike talking on the phone. We don't talk every morning because Aaron goes to work early and I work late so he is kind and lets me sleep most mornings. We usually text to some extent during the days and then I call him when I get off work and we will talk for a bit and then we call each other right before bed. I will be honest, we do not sit and talk for hours upon hours and we're both okay with that. We talk about our day at work, what we have planned for that evening and tomorrow, and then anything else going on in our lives. When you don't see each other or interact with each other every day, it is possible to sometimes run out of things to talk about....and I think that is normal and okay. Luckily, Aaron and I have a lot to talk about regarding our wedding and our future plans. I ask a lot of questions about his new home, new job, and new friends so that I can get a feel for what is to come.

Now that Aaron and I are seven hours apart, it is a lot different. We only get to see each other once a month and it is a lot harder. I think it is also a lot harder because we don't have crazy busy schedules like we did in college and we don't live with our friends that kept us occupied. It is a lot lonelier when you don't have your friends around 24/7. Luckily, I'm living at home with my parents until the wedding so I stay pretty busy and have them around to hang out with. I can definitely tell it is a lot harder on Aaron being at home alone most of the time. He is definitely ready for me to be there and share all the new things with him. I am so ready to be there too....SO READY.

I can say 100% that if I could go back and do things over again, I WOULD NOT change it for the world. I am so thankful that Aaron and I were able to spend two amazing years together at the beginning of college getting to know each other and build our relationship. I am so thankful that the last two years of college were spent soaking up quality time with our friends, enjoying college to the fullest, and making our relationship stronger. And now, I am so thankful that there is finally a light at the end of the tunnel and we get to spend eternity together in the same town, under the same roof, and seeing each other every day. Will it be hard to get used to? Of course. Will there be times where we are so frustrated with each other and all we want to do is get away and have time to ourselves to think? Absolutely. Will we both miss our friends and families terribly? You bet, but we will also get to explore a new town and new friends together. We will get to know each other on a whole new level because the Lord knows we are both not the same person we were when we met at 18 years old. When things get tough, we will have no one to turn to or lean on but each other....no running to our parents house or best friends house to get away....just each other. I think it is going to make our relationship so much stronger.

I thought when we started our long distance relationship that I would cry a lot. I can count on my hands the number of times I've cried over it in the last four years. There have been a few times when I've cried on my drive home from visiting him in Arkansas...usually a sweet song sparks the tears. I remember the first time I cried on the phone with him after he moved to Tahlequah. He told me I better dry it up real quick. And I remember the time I cried in front of him after we got engaged when I had to leave him in Arkansas....he didn't like that either. Crying is good and you will cry at times, but remember, no one wants to hear you sulk and cry about it all the time because it makes them sad too and I imagine that might get old to them after a while. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't crying right now as I write this post....tears of joy.

Even though I've been in a long distance relationship for four years, I still cannot imagine how hard it must be for those in extreme long distance relationships, or people with military spouses. I commend you and think that you are truly amazing and strong individuals.

With all of that being said, my best advice to give those in long distance relationships is that it can work and it will be worth it. It will not be easy at all. Keep yourself busy with family and friends, but make time to stop and talk with your partner when they call. Don't sit at home and sulk, go have fun and live your life. When you finally see the light at the end of that long tunnel, it will be all the more exciting, fun, and worth it.

I'm not going to apologize for how extremely long this post is because it's something I've been wanting to write about for a long, long time. It feels so good to write about it and remember exactly how I'm feeling at this moment....so thankful, blessed, and excited for everything that is to come. I will say, thank you if you're still reading :)

Friday Favorites!

YAY for Friday! I'm counting down the days until next Friday when I will be heading to visit my wonderful fiance for an entire weekend to celebrate Valentine's Day! Today lets take a look at some of my recent favorite things shall we?

 

1. Favorite state: O-K-L-A-H-O-M-A!!!!

 

I currently have an obsession with all things Oklahoma. Maybe because in 5 short months, I will be moving to a new state. Every time I see something with the state of Oklahoma on it, I feel like I must have it so everyone in Arkansas will know where I came from. Don't worry, Arkansas is my 2nd favorite state and I do already have a few things with the state of Arkansas on it!

 I bought this postcard last week. I'm going to frame it and put it hang it on our gallery wall.

I thought this t-shirt was so cute and I couldn't resist.

I've got a pillow similar to this coming my way thanks to my awesome Sister-in-Law who makes these darling pillows.

I also bought this Oklahoma state necklace...it's hard to tell from the picture what it looks like, but it's really cute.

 

2. Favorite stationary: TINY PRINTS

 

I love Tiny Prints! Occasionally, they will send a coupon to my email account for a free 10 piece set of stationary. I always take advantage of this promotion. I love my new stationary that they sent. I got to partially design it myself.

It's hard to tell but it's a pale mint green color (our wedding color) and that is pretty much my favorite color right now. Every time I see it, my eyes are drawn to it. This is the front.

And this is the back.

 

 

2. Favorite New Product: LATISSE

I went to a bridal show and entered my name in just about every contest they had. I never win contests...EVER! About a week after the event, I got a voicemail on my phone saying they drew a name and contacted the person, but never got a response so they drew a second time and guess what? I was the lucky winner of a 6 month supply of Latisse. WOOHOO!! I've never been worried about my eyelashes and how tiny and wimpy they are, but if you want to give me a free supply, SIGN ME UP...I'll gladly be a guinea pig. I had heard there were some side effects of using Latisse so I did my research before using it and so far I haven't had any issues. My eyes are a little dry and crusty when I first wake up, but after blinking and adjusting them for a few minutes they are totally back to normal. And no, my blue eyes have not turned brown.

 

I've been using it for about 3-4 weeks and I can already tell a difference. At work the other day, I was blinking and something felt really funny. It just so happens that the funny feeling was my eyelashes rubbing against the lens of my glasses...SCORE! That would have never happened to me before.

 

Here are a few pics of my results:

 My eyelashes without mascara after using Latisse for 3-4 weeks

And with mascara. I know they probably don't look like long lashes to you, but for what I'm used to, I can definitely tell they are growing and getting thicker. Sorry if my eye pictures creeped you out. Sometimes looking at eyes makes me queasy.

 

4. Favorite wedding accomplishment this week: OUR INVITATIONS ARE DONE AND PRINTED!!

I absolutely love how they turned out. Exactly what I had envisioned. Now if I can just start addressing them little by little. I've got plenty of time, but I'd rather do a few each night then have to do them all in one day.

 

Happy Friday! Hope you all have a great weekend!

Saw It, Pinned It, Did It- #12

Linking up with Stephanie & Katie for another week of SPD. I'm beginning to feel like this is the only time I blog, but I promise that won't be the case for long. My life has just been pretty uneventful lately.

 

Here's my Pinspiration:

 

source: http://static.becomegorgeous.com/img/arts/2012/May/15/7796/nail_art_2012.jpg

 

And here's my version:

 

Not near as cute, but I just worked with what polishes I already had on hand at home. They are still fun and festive for the holiday.

 

I also have a recipe to share this week.

 

Here is my Pinspiration:

 

Maple Banana Bars with Maple Butter Frosting

source & recipe: http://ohdinner.com/2013/01/10/maple-banana-bars-with-maple-butter-frosting/

 

And here is my version:

 

 

 Warning: These are seriously delicious, unhealthy, and easy to make. It tastes like a combination of banana nut bread with a maple donut......YUMMERS! Makes my mouth water just thinking about it.

 

Happy Thursday, friends! Excited to see all the link-ups!

NOTE: If you haven't read my last blog post about my client's story, please please read it here: http://www.quinceetaylor.blogspot.com/2013/02/queen-of-suds-laundry-detergent-for.html
and any help would be so greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Queen of Suds- Laundry Detergent for a Cause

I had the opportunity to meet and get to know a really sweet, awesome lady named Melanie through my job as a hairstylist. She was a walk-in client one day and has since been coming back to me to get her hair done. Every time she sits in my chair, I thoroughly enjoy her. I can tell in the short time I've known her that she is kind, caring, and extremely strong. After doing her hair a couple of times and doing her husband's hair, I learned their story. This is her story:

Every one has a story behind what they do… Ours began almost two years ago when my husband Daniel was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer. I began looking for ways to cut back our expenses in every way possible. However, with five children at home, it was difficult to cut back much. I began looking for ways to decrease my spending at the grocery store. One day I came across a recipe to make my own laundry detergent and decided to try it with the exception of a few tweaks to make it my own. I was amazed that the fresh clean scent filled my home as I did laundry. I instantly fell in love with this detergent for two reasons, its cost effective and it smelled fabulous. I decided to share my detergent with my friends and get their opinions-they loved it too and immediately offered to buy some. I thought maybe I could make and sell my detergent to earn some extra money to help with our expenses.
Queen of Suds is handmade using a low suds formula of grated fels naptha soap, sodium tetra-borate (borax), sodium carbonate (washing soda), and softener. Queen of Suds is very cost effective and great for all of your machine washables it is tough on dirt but gentle on your clothes. I haven’t used bleach on my whites since using Queen of Suds detergent. Queen of Suds is suitable for use in HE machines. The best part about Queen of Suds is that a little bit really does go a long way, all you need is ½ tablespoon for a small load, 1 tablespoon for a regular load of laundry and 2 tablespoons of detergent per large load. My detergent is hand grated and mixed in small batches to allow customers to receive only the freshest detergent. I absolutely love this detergent and I hope that you will too. Please note every time you use your Queen of Suds laundry detergent you are helping to wash away cancer one load at a time. Your purchase will help pay for Daniel’s medical expenses. Who would of thought just by simply doing laundry could actually help someone else?


Queen of Suds Price List:

(Price includes a refillable container and scoop)

1 Quart (32-64 loads) $18 Container Refills $15

1/2 tbs for small loads
1 tbs for regular loads
1 1/2 to 2 tbs for large loads

Thank you so much for your business.

Melanie Jasper
Queen of Suds
queenofsuds@gmail.com

Disclaimer: The FDA has not evaluated the statements presented above. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any diseases. **If you are allergic to any of the listed items you may have a reaction to this product.

Please make checks payable to Melanie Jasper. Thank you!

 

While doing Melanie's hair on Tuesday, she informed me that her husband's cancer has come back. This is her latest update on her facebook page:

UPDATE AS PROMISED: we went to see Dr. McCurdy today and we learned that the cancer is back in his colon. It is where the first recession was done. Daniel will go in for surgery next Wednesday Jan. 30th. Please cover my husband with your prayers. Those who know him know how well he has handled all of this over the past two years. He is one of the most wonderful men I know. He is big and strong on the outside but inside he is a giant teddy bear with a ton of courage. He does not ever hesitate to do good and help others every chance he gets. He really does have a heart of gold. I tend to be a "fixer" and it breaks my heart that I can't fix this. I do know we have an AWESOME God and I believe in miracles and the power of prayer. Thank you all my prayer warriors.

 

Hearing this totally broke my heart. After leaving work, I couldn't stop thinking about it. I felt like God was calling me to help. After thinking about it for a long time, I realized that using my blog for a greater cause was a great idea.  That's what I love most about blogs.

 

So blog readers, I need your help...whether it be buying a jar of laundry detergent, donating what you can, or just sending up a prayer for their family, I encourage you to make a difference for this family.

Anything will help and is greatly appreciated.

 

If you're interested in buying laundry detergent, you can do so through her Facebook page by clicking this link: http://www.facebook.com/#!/QueenOfSuds

 

 

 

If you're interested in donating money, you can click the donate button below using PayPal. I will keep this open for a week and update everyone on the total amount raised once it's closed.

 

If you can't do either, please pray and share this post with family and friends. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!