Take 1

Okay, I promised I would work on my pics..so I took the little general to the park today for a mini photo shoot. Isnt this tutu adorable? And did you notice the rosettes on her tank and tutu? These are my latest conquer and I am very excited about them! They just add that extra detail..don't ya think?

This tutu is pink, green and orange with zebra detail around the waist band and a zebra rosette with a green button center attached with an alligator clip for easy removal. The clip can be attached to just about anything... her hair, on a bag, or on a tank {as shown in the picture} for a variety of endless uses.

The tutu is extra fluffy! handmade with yards and yards of high quality tulle on a 1 inch waistband. They are available in just about any color and size from newborn to 3/4 T for $25. 5/6 T and up is an additional charge. The oh so popular must-have rosettes are $5.00 and come in a wide range of colors and styles. Email me at shellysturner@yahoo.com so we can start on your custom order today! No two tutus are exactly alike.

Shabby Chic

For the first time ever I am posting early in the morning! Well maybe its not that early (7:41) but my brain doesnt usually come on til about 9:00 at night... So to wake up my brain and get me moving Im jamming to my man Prince ~ right now! {Hooo-Hooooooo! high pitched} How can you not have a good day when you start it off with a delicioso cup of joe and some Prince!

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Do you love these as much as I do?! My good friend Kaci had these already and asked me to top them for her to match her adorable little girls shabby chic room decor. Can we say Nail on Head!!! I cant wait to hang them up for her! {She's 9 months prego and I refuse to let her do it! ;)}
These letters are so fun because they can be topped in just about any color and design. {here are a few samples of the precious new prints currently available. Then you choose how you want your edges finished.... handpainted, ribbon wrapped, or left white like these. If you dont see paper you like on my blog or photos just message me and I will help you design some to match! holla!

Special Request

I love custom orders! I just get so tickled at the cute ideas everyone comes up with. Since I dont get alot of boy orders this one was so fun! Thank you Michelle! I hope Lane loves them!

Don't rain on my parade!

Have I told ya'll (I can say that cause I live in Texas) that I have the most awesomest friends in this whole big wide world? Well I do... and I went garage sell shoppin' with two of them and the little general today. We planned it days in advance with a print-out of addresses from our local online yard sell site in hopes of scoring a fabulous treasure. Yes, you guessed it... woke up to rain. But this anxious bunch headed out anyway! The first one we came to wasn't a yard sale at all...it was an antique shop we never knew existed and peeking through the window was really exciting! I saw tons of chandeliers, an antique armoir, a pretty coffee... but that's as far as we got..the darn place never opened its doors. We looked like that commercial..is it Marshall's? Mervyn's? Open! Open! Open!
But this crew had high hopes and off we went to the next place....yah, nothing. And the next place, nothing. Guess the rain scared 'em all off. We did find one cheerful group open for business. They gave the little general two stuffed ponies and I bought a small picture frame for .25. isnt she cute?

We soon ran through our list with no luck when we received a call from some friends who were scoring big time at The Gap. Since we had no idea where we were by this time we searched the GPS for a Gap near us. I went to shopping...then apparel...when Gap popped up and I selected it. A left turn here, a right turn there, go around that curve....on and on thru neighborhood after neighborhood when we finally arrived!!

yep! a dead end street! I was tempted to get out and ask that man mowing if his name happened to be gap! So we decided we just werent meant to do any serious shopping... After laughing til our stomachs hurt we sat down for a yummy lunch and headed home.

These were special requested gifts for my friend Brandy who after having their home destroyed in hurricane Ike over a year ago they are finally settled in their new home. It pleases me to no end to be able to contribute in this small way to help make your house start to feel more like a home. I wish you the best! May your children's laughs echo and blessings flow abundantly in your new home!

Teacher Appreciation

Has it really been 10 days since my last post?! Where has April gone?

Hmm... quick catch up.. the flowers are blooming, the birds have been singing, the spiders are crawling, and my snails...amazingly...are still alive and seem pretty happy. Gary 1 ate an entire piece of lettuce the other day and passed out, stretched out of his shell, on his side, in the flower pot I put in there (after he ate my plant.) Who knew snails ate so much? They're like dogs..they see me come to the window and they start racing {as fast as a snail can go...which isnt fast, obviously...hence, slow as a snail}, but they cant wait to be fed. So far they love lettuce, wont touch the fiber cereal they supposedly need, kinda like egg shell, and drink ALOT of water. Gonna try carrots tomorrow. Mainly cause I need to do something with them...they apparently dont last forever. I know, I know, the title said Teacher Appreciation...but its 11:00 at night {do you see a pattern for when I can work?} and every one is asleep, and well... I like to talk... so who better to jabber to than someone that cant talk back? hee-hee

So on to appreciating our Teachers... It will soon be Teacher Appreciation Week {May 2-8 to be exact} and what better way to say thank you than a hand-made card from you! ~signed by your little one so they get all the credit!~ haha

These cards were handed out by my little credit takers to their AWANAS leaders at church tonight, and I had so much fun making them!

I took a 6 x 12 sheet of cardstock and cut it in half. I then punched holes along the sides and put ribbon in various patterns along the side. I used my cricut to cut out the flowers, but you can trace or draw and cut out with scissors any design you like.... hearts, stars, etc. On the top one, I hot-glued a piece of tulle and placed a scrapbooking decorative flower in the center. I then let the kids write their own message inside and sign them.

These turned out to be a much appreciated gift from the heart!

These also make great Mother's Day cards. Happy crafting! ;)

work in progess

Im stubborn, hard-headed, and sometimes a snot.
I like to be right, hard to admit when Im not.
I dream big like a child,
hard to tame when Im wild,
and my temper's not mild...
but Im a work in progess.

This work in progress received some good ol soul nourishing today at my very first small group.
Learned alot I didnt know, and felt great about the little I did.
Lesson 1 : Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind... and your neighbor like yourself. Its a work in progress!

Organizing Part 1

After a few days of tripping over all my lovelys I pulled out of the closet the other day I decided I needed to get organized. Even my organized chaos has gotten out of control and since the hubby frowned at my suggestion to build me my own wing to put all this stuff that will require me thinking outside the box. With that kind of thought process going on I began to look at my boxes in a whole new light. {please excuse the fragments and run-ons, grammer isnt my strong suit} So the first thing I really need to get control of are the stacks of paper I have everywhere. So this is what I did.

I took a thick cardboard box I had lying around. {Id like to take time out to say thank you to hurricane Ike for making it necessary for FEMA to provide us with all of these filled with non perishables.}

Then I cut the top edge and the side edge off with a razor knife and added tape to support it.

and I glued on pages from some magazines I had been saving for the pretty pictures

and wa-lah! I now have a place to put SOME of my paper {I will need to make more of these} and this seriously only took about 10 minutes to make.

Now what to do with my dining room table? Guess we'll have to get old fashioned and actually have dinner at it!?

Tutu~licious!

I got out my elastic to make tutu's today and couldnt find my spool of white thread...so I went into the closet where I keep my crafty stuff and started digging. By the time my hubby got home he had to clear a trail to the couch, but hey, my closet has a lot of room now! Guess I need to put the tulle down for a few minutes and read through Tip Junkie's blog. Maybe that will help me figure out how to get organized.... But I found my thread and wasnt it worth it?


Just in time for summer!
This is an 18mo ~ 3yr size tutu in cotton candy with zebra accent and detachable gerber daisy flower on an alligator clip. For an additional $2.00 I will add a glitter spray to it for that shimmery look your little one will love! $22.00
All of my products are created in a smoke-free, pet-free {except snails, if you consider them} home.
I am happy to do a custom tutu for you..Email me at shellysturner@gmail.com.

Any one want to offer their professional picture taking services for my posts?! I NEED HELP!
But you get the idea... this is a pink and red tutu with zebra detail and funky heart ribbon.
Also, $22.00.

Be Vewwy Vewwy Quiet

Its 11:00 at night and the hubby, the little general {her grandfather nicknamed her that because of her tendency to run the show or atleast that is the nice way of putting it}, and my little man are all fast asleep... This is the second day of Mission Bedtime Routine and I am happy to report it is all going amazingly well. Those of you who know me, know that we havent slept in 7 years. I hear that's what boys do.. he refuses to sleep, he is rowdy and loud, and he eats more than his father and I and the horses in the pasture combined... Oh, but Mission Bedtime Routine means the t.v. goes off at 9:00. I know this may seem late for a 7 year old but he can fight his sleep like nothing Ive ever seen. Not only is that a huge deal but until very recently he slept with his daddy and I. Yes, we had a family bed. Atleast until his little feet suddenly werent so little anymore and his little legs are almost as long as mine. These dont feel so good in my back anymore.. So I pitched a hissy and got my way! {Are you figuring out where the little general gets her assertiveness from?}

With this Mission under way I was able to go to bed early last night and get all rested up from our eventful weekend which went absolutely perfectly! My dad loved his party and all his surprises and we had the best easter morning a mommy could ask for. We also have 3 new additions to our family..{did you read my bio about all the critters that come home?} While hunting easter eggs the kids found snails. They're just your common garden variety snails...but these suckers {no pun intended ;}} are huge! Their names are Gary 1, 2, and 3..after Spongebob's pet snail.

Anyhow... since I got all rested up last night Im up late doing what I love... eating the kids easter candy. I feel like a criminal opening the wrappers very slowly because I know the rustle of a candy wrapper will wake my light sleepers! shhh...dont tell them!

Oh! And the other thing I love! Crafting of course!

Let me know if you see something you like... the gerber daisy's are on ribbon wrapped alligator clips with a precious button center. These are $5.00

The cream and brown Ranunculus flower has a sage center and is set on a ribbon wrapped alligator clip. This one is $6.50.

This wipes clutch is a denim colored fabric wrapped in lime ribbon with a gorgeous vintage lace ribbon detail and coordinating lime button. Ive named this particular clutch Kaci after my inspiration behind it. It is $8.50. Comes with wipes. Great for carrying in your purse or car and perfect pencil storage when wipes are no longer necessary!

If you subscribe and become a follower to my blog you will receive a $1.50 off any of these including the "sweet treats" further down or 10%off a tutu or diaper cake. Convo me below. Thx..and g'night!

An ode to my daddy

My daddy officially retired this past Wednesday, and I couldn't be more excited! After all, he is the handiest man I know and he now has ALOT of time on his hands to help me with projects. Before you start boo-ing me I have to put the blame on my own mother. She is a little nervous about having him home all the time now, so I told her I would keep him busy (really! Its completely selfless) and what better way than to enlist his help in building a tree house for the kids! So if ya see him, let him know Im waiting. :)

But before we get to the post retirement projects we need to celebrate! So a party is in the works! Actually its this weekend... a fun-filled weekend with retirement activities and Easter Sunday celebrations. (I promised the kids that I talked to the Easter Bunny already to let him know where we would be for the weekend.) So I thought I would share with you a few of the things I did to prepare...

The theme of the party is fishing, my dad's favorite past-time. So here are the invites I sent out.

The inside of the card says, That's Why Im Retiring! with a poem I wrote...

Come join us to celebrate

He's almost done

Good friends and a fish fry

Guaranteed to be fun!

Our dad is retiring

It's his special day!

Please join us for a party

to ring it in the right way.

So you guessed it... We are having a fish fry. For a gift, we got him a gift card to Academy and I made him this sign to hang out when they go camping.

And a banner...

Congratulations Daddy! You deserve it and all the relaxation and fun in this next chapter of your life! I love you!

Alphabet Soup (letters for your loved one)

One of my favorite things in my little girls room are the letters I painted for her and hung on her wall. Take a look at the painted, and the paper topped with ribbon edges. The paper topped with ribbon are $8.00, the painted are $9.50 and the bow holders are $13. I can do them in just about any color and design. These make great baby shower or birthday gifts!! Email me at shellysturner@gmail.com, or comment below with your wish list for a customized order.

Baby Boy Poem... Free!

I recently threw a baby shower for a friend having her first baby boy and thought I would share with all of you the poem I wrote for the invites. Feel free to use it, but if you re-post please share the source. Enjoy!

A gurgle, a smile, a wink of an eye
A fish, a frog, a sweet butterfly
A boy full of wonder
A curious look
These will fill the pages of their baby book.
A baby boy is on the way.
"Brody's" his name, its his special day or We dont know his name but its his special day.
So join us to celebrate,
and shower with love
Their precious gift - sent from above.