Where to Begin

I have to go back to Luke's "puppy" days to tell these stories. First best story was right after Casey and I got Luke {casey and i were still dating at the time} Casey had Luke at his apartment and he had taken him out to use the restroom. While out "exploring" as we like to call it. Luke smelt a new and very exciting smell, it was the scent of big fat ugly CAT. He found this creature to be of similar characteristics, being four legged, and living with humans and all.... well. he decided he would like to formally introduce himself to such cat. This cat did not in anyway find this introduction welcoming so it began. Dog chases cat, but not just anywhere. He chased him right to the gutters, and down into the underground sewage world they went.

[Casey called me as this chase had commenced and convinced me i needed to get over to his apartment immediately, so off i went. You would have thought my child's leg had been sawed off, but no, all of this craziness, panic, and mayhem for a tiny 12 week old through and through hound who was on the feline trail.]

As I arrived Casey is in the streets of his apartment complex frantically trying to find our new puppy, we can hear water spashing, a cat hissing, and this little howl that is indefinately our pup. Finally after the cat had enough he emerged right from the gutter he went down in to and soon after followed a very disgusting puppy, full of life, and knowing he had found his calling.
You see, we purchased him from a hunter in a small town outside of Tuscaloosa, the only reason he was being sold is because the man had bred his pup for more hunting dogs, the others were to go to good homes. Jake and Stephanie bought Beau, i mean lucy {they weren't too experienced in deciphering animal genitalia, therefore they thought this girl was a boy, until steph's dad sat the record straight and he, must be renamed a she.}

HAHA silly story within itself. Needless to say brother and sister will forever stay in contact, oh and did i mention Jakes's brother Cody has one of their brothers, his name is Hank and he is a mess too.

So it began, or adventurous love affair with Luke, stay tuned more to come.

Luke Turner Rodden

This is Luke. He is the heartbeat of our family. There is not a day that goes by that he is not providing us with some sort of entertainment.

I have forever debated blogging about him. We have stories upon stories of adventures he has taken us on, but yesterday when i talked to yet another friend who ADORED The Pioneer Woman; I decided it was time for me to check her out.

Well as soon as the page loads, a post to talk about your dogs comes up... How could i ever resist. So throughout the next several days i will be showcasing pictures of our luke and the adventures he takes us on.

Preppie Peonie

For those of you I have met through Mrs. Pearls and Grace's McLinky party also check out The Preppie Peonie.

This is my applique site.. This is my new hobby. A little bit about me....

My love.... DESIRE... GOD GIVEN TALENT is sewing. I could sit down at my sewing machine, turn the sucker on, change the settings and just go.... I literally have sat at a machine for almost 12 hrs straight in college working on various projects. On preppie peonie you can be directed to my wordpress site where i started my portfolio. (hence started) my current two blogs are for me to showcase the work i actually have done on my own without a class room.

My grandmother was a wedding dressmaker. My mom a french hand sewing master. And me... i dabble in a little of everything. (but i am scared silly of making a wedding dress)

I learned how to sew at 9. I taught myself to smock at 13. And began learning Adobe Illustrator, and Auto-CAD in college. The most exciting thing about sewing to me is pattern making. I want to be able to buy some muslin drape my form then create my own pattern, my own look, my very own specialized just for me dress. What do i need for this outlandish task???

A DRESS FORM

I am currently in the market for a professional WOLFE dress form. These suckers can set you back as much as $400 bones. I am about to start scavaging all thrift stores and flea markets come spring and hope someone has one of these fabulous gems tucked away somewhere just waiting for me..

For now i will just dream and one day soon begin to sketch again. Right now those dreams are being lived vicariously through one of my college school mates, Anthony. He is on the current season of Project Runway.

Super Cute.. and Homemade!!

A couple of days ago i stumbled upon this blog. I loved the idea of the rose petal trim. So i ran over to Hobby Lobby and whipped up a top for my little bit..... just in time for Valentine's Day.

Now go on over to This Blessed Nest and check out her cutie patootie in her cute shirt. Dont you just love her stuff?? Ahhh another Tennessee girl. I just happen to be on the west side of the state and her on the east.
Here is what my cutie patootie looks like..

Valentine's Day

So my sweet hubby sent me tulips at work Of course there were plenty of them to split them up and place them all around the house. I just love them all. My husband is so kind and so thoughtful. I am so lucky to have him in my life!!!! 

And Her Bedding!!!

After getting everything (well almost everything ironed)i rushed downstairs to get the bed made. 

For those of you that havent had the priveledge of meeting my inner obsessive comulsive tendencies, brace yourself... its ugly. I will pull and tuck at a flat sheet until its just so. 

Then the hospital corners... my sweet friend Abbie and I lived together our sophomore year at Alabama and she really taught me the art of hospital corners. So then i begin to perfectly tuck the corners. Next comes the pillow placement, fluffing and tucking then comes the comforter. 

Yes i ironed the comforter 3 times, once on the bed i even ironed!! 

Enjoy!!

Love the embroidery on the sheets.

Just like the bedding in the Serena and Lily catalog!

Ended up finding this at TJ Maxx for $39.00!!

Oh the joys of holidays

With each new holiday my itch to create, craft and redecorate grows stronger and stronger. I am always thinking of tutorials to do but since we dont have internet at home it makes it hard for me to remember to take pictures of these things throughout the process. Lets recap on current projects at hand

• chalkboard with homemade scalloped frame. (i know its going to be great)
• finding bedding for AC's big girl bed
  
• deciding exactly where i want pictures to hang in the house {my dad could have killed me when i moved out to go to college. he repainted my room and before he could do so he decided to fill all the holes in the walls where i would constantly rearrange and rehang pics... grand total holes in my bedroom... 110! i was a rearranging freak!}
• picking out bedding for my room
  
• figuring out colors for the shutters for the front of the house
• trying to decide on landscaping for the front flower beds
• all in all just being able to complete a project.
  here are a few of my thoughts. Here is the board and batten style above.

okay so probably a slate color or off white. 

the style will be enclosed board and batten with similiar hardware.

working on the other pics of these ideas... will share those with yall later today. 

Happy friday readers. 

Be prepared for valentine's day fun.

At Last ( sing it Etta)

Okay now that we have cued the music join me on this journey of random thoughts.

1. I am still slowly mulling through Facing the Giants by Max Lucado.

2. I have discovered that I have made nice clothing/shoes/handbags my god and one of the ten commandments is to put no other gods before me.

3. working on ridding myself of this god. dont be silly now i am not giving my Burberry and Lilly, but Iam thankful for these items and teaching myself that I cannot purchase them again until they are just things and however much I may appreciate them I won't put them before other things in my life.

4. in an effort to rid myself of these gods i have begun what i am calling a life overhaul and detox. (sorry forgot to take pictures and document this effort) I have ridded myself since May of 2009 of at least 9 bags of clothing. now if you could still currently see the amount of clothes i own it truely is sinful to see what i owned.

5. i undertook the daunting task of organizing all the closets in the house. We have had a few problems with the upstairs closets and finding studs to hang a shelf. Therefore we have decided to do a free standing unit that is attached meerily as an anchor instead of a main support.

now... on this journey what girl doesnt think of Carrie Bradshaw's AH. MAZ.ING closet that Big built for her??

I know i know all those Loubiton, LV, Jimmy's Marc's... ahhh one day when i dont drool overthem i know i can renew my hobby of collecting these gems but for now i would even be okay with this....

again .... i know right?? need i saay more????

via google

so does your closet currently look like this???

well i just wish mine looked at least like this. Join me on a journey of organization, purification, and a sense of finding my dream of a perfectly organized closet. (within reason.)

Pictures to come.

Closing thoughts...

what does your closet look like?? 

care to join me on a spring cleaning organization party??

Christmas in Mobile

dream backyard. need i say more

baby was terrified we would leave her when we were packing up in mobile to come home

then we said no worries little bunny... we would never leave you

cheesin with aunt mary

watchin backyardigans with aidan

aidan giving me a hug....

All Icky

Okay so in an effort to expand baby's food palate I thought I would give her some chocolate pudding. (dont worry its sugar free)

okay so all was well feeding herself till we got to the end and it got nasty... she screamed when we took her away from the high chair and dragged her upstairs to the bath.... she was gushing the pudding through her fingers.... SOOOOOO GROSS

I love my butterfies.... they make bathtime worthwhile.

no mommy i am not ready to get out!!