ooh i love this stamp! it’s sold for weddings, but i would put each of our first initials and only our wedding year (like a circa date) (: which is 1998! 15 years this july, we really cannot believe it! wouldn’t that be so fun for the back of envelopes…i’m super smitten! by papersushi (and how fun is that name?!)

wouldn’t these balloon postcards make the cutest invites? found here!

and a few more i spy picks…from etsy! a simple horseshoe : moonrise kingdom + a grand adventure :  red, white & blue washi style :  wishing i could crochet, cutest stool tops ever : + send home a slice of party cake

monday monday. we have more company in town, camp1899 is hopping this summer! instead of throwing schedules to the wind though, a really good diy has been in progress for days. it won’t be completely finished this week but i’m going to show you what’s been done so far (in a day or two) because it’s really pretty at the almost finished stage, and big impact. mr blue eyes even skipped biking to the festival with us to keep trucking along on it so there you go.

our friend bishop and i, along with our nearest and dearest kelli & travis rode the hills to the highlands (we love having so many eclectic neighborhoods in any given direction of us) and mosied the booths and vendors and live music. something about walking or biking makes stuff like this better, especially in the summer. don’t you think? although, so many of the booths at this festival were commercial (think windows, siding, etc) i was really surprised. i don’t know how exactly but i wish festivals could steer further from sell, sell, sell and more onto community. but, friends, sunshine, biking, not a bad afternoon.

otherwise, i’m working on another of my summer to-do checklist.. reading the jack reacher (by lee child) series and planning our drive-in theater night, we’re thinking man of steel, are you going to see it? we’ve even put a library request in for the original superman to get ready. anyhoo, i think the scooter/side car above is the perfect getaway vehicle for me and the mister. a side car that looks kind of like a watermelon, i’m in. and he’d be in the side car of course. (:

smitten! from anthro

stripes + floral!

earrings / floral tee / belt / skirt / wedge

in life we have many things, but our character, our values, that’s all we have at the end of the day, guiding our every decision. mistakes will be made, sometimes we’ll be frazzled and wish we had been more of many things (don’t you have those days?!), but if you have the strongest of values that you adhere to, it makes for a well led life. at least i think so. i learned long ago, people show you who they are if you pay attention, and observing the values others hold and act on has taught me more in one act that a million words has ever shown.

in my own life i find that decisions are not even decisions to be made most of the time. i don’t have to decide, my values have already done that for me. what about you? where do you feel like you fall in the big scheme of things? way up high, in the middle or anything goes? i’d love to hear!

as a little p.s., my first round of cactus/succulent tending was only partially successful. a few went down in flames almost immediately, but since then we’ve added a few to the flock (thanks mom!) and all are thriving. maybe just maybe i’m turning that black thumb around. (;

so. much. fun! our friends dan & jennifer have been in town this past week/end and took us to our very first rockies game! (check one off of my summer to-do list) and now, thanks to mr. dan, we will never be able to go without feeling like we’re missing out. he spoiled us with amazing seats (our own table!) a waiter bringing us good food and stranahan’s whiskey (for me), it was the perfect night. the weather was just right, lots of laughter.. especially when we were taking the baseball player cut-out photos, too too funny. and they won! a big southern thank you for treating us to a really really fun evening!!

hooray! screen doors! we officially have a southern home now. (; they are wood, they slam (the best sound in the world), and no more flies! all done by me, him, and mama mia before she left town (thanks mom!). love these doors, they have made such a big difference and were so reasonable. we bought them at lowes for only $54 each and the knob and hinge sets were $15 each. because the doors of our house are newly framed but are really still 114 years old, husband had to cut them a bit to make them fit exactly (straightly framed lines, not so much) but once they were painted we couldn’t even tell. this is definitely a favorite project so far, little but good.

we had a really fun weekend but i wanted to share this diy before too much time had passed, updates on our frivolities tomorrow.. hope you all had a good one!

ohh sting. one of the best concerts i have ever been to was from his ten summoner’s tales tour; an outdoor show in dallas, texas with college friends. one of those carefree nights that has stayed with me always. this blue eyed boy of mine and i have since seen mercury falling and the brand new day tours, with last nights show being the first true mix of police and sting since it wasn’t a new album tour. we’re both sting fans first, police fans second but it was a great mix, i love it when you know every single song.

it is inspiring to see someone in (seemingly) perfect shape at 61. this is what we all need to strive for. staying as fit and agile and as present (and current) as possible for the decades ahead. his violist, ridiculous. jo lawry on vocals, ah-mazing. and stings voice seems as strong and clear as i’ve ever heard it.
a great night. (even though june betrayed us a little and it was cold, i did not think a jacket and scarf were going to be making an appearance again this summer) thank you husband for taking me to one of my all time favorites! ♥

as a side note about concerts… there will surely be a special section in hell for all of us people watchers. (you know who you are) when you’re looking, and thinking, how in the world did they decide that was the outfit they should go with?! (; a concert is a ticket to two shows. the one on stage, and everything else. jeans that make mom jeans seem super hip. pajama bottoms that (are supposed to) look like denim, on a guy. house slippers. denim on denim should not be taken so lightly. oye. at the eighties big hair shows we often attend it’s mullets, aqua net bangs, head to toe black, and original concert tees that are thread bare they’re worn so much. i know you know exactly what i’m talking about. and like i said, a special reserved section.

i heard something recently that has stuck with me; in a sweet way that has made everyday things even better. it was someone (on television i am sure, we do love the idiot box around here) (; reflecting back on life and how it was crazy and hectic during certain chapters. like while the kiddos were young and demanding and there were never enough hands or time, or renovating/building a house and the list seems to never end. times when life is full speed ahead and chaotic and messy. and the message was that these, these are the good times, the messy, tiring, wondering, wishing times that will be missed so much later.

it has reminded me to be glad we are in the throws of upheaval and change. our ever evolving home, our new state, our travels back and forth, the uncertainty of just what the heck we’re doing sometimes. i know that later, it will be all finished. those questions will be answered, the house will be finished, and it will all be held in our memories. it has made me relish the chaos more. the adventure of it all. and it makes me more aware that i want my life to continuously grow and be filled with new chaos and excitement and uncertainty that will fill our lives all of our days. it encourages me to stretch more and more.