a beautiful sunday

We treasure warm weather when it visits our city. Yesterday we celebrated blue skies and 80 degree weather, and we were sure to take advantage of it. After church we visited Punch Pizza and enjoyed...

this week's vintage goods

Something magical happens when I find a new (to me) vintage piece. Most items were mass produced, but when a piece is 50, 60 or 90 years old you know it was treasured. And though I tend to...

a guest post: tips on buying vintage

I am sharing a guest post over at Living on Love today. A few tips regarding buying vintage and how we decorated our home with thrift store finds. And my first giveaway: a pair of vintage pants...

estate sale visit

Saturday I visited two estate sales near Lake of the Isles in Minneapolis. I spent the majority of my time at the first sale and managed to snap a few photos. I ended up with luggage from the...

a weekend getaway

It was a long week. Lee had a business trip. One of the kids had an asthma flare up. It rained and rained. In spare time I found myself planning a weekend getaway for the family this summer. We...

summer basics

Lemonade Card by Maple & Belmont | H&M T-shirt | Plexida Yellow Headband J. Crew Chino Short | H&M Dress | Summer Fruit Art by Anek It is finally June! I am so excited for this warm season. We keep...

vintage alphabet stamps

A few weeks ago I stopped by two estate sales. Each had distinct qualities. The first sale was quite organized. And the second sale was overflowing with things. The basement was dark and items were...

weekend highlights

With our vacation last month and gas prices sky high, we stayed close to home this past holiday weekend. Our weather could be summarized as cold and gray (I have blogged about grey skies before....

favorite friday links

Lake Como May 2013 The story of A Beautiful Mess' Local Boutique. My friend Jeran of Oleander + Palm made over a thrifted dresser. Gorgeous! This pool noodle garland via Sugar and Cloth would be...

Pound Cake Parfaits

I grew up with pound cake. Homemade pound cake was a staple at every family event made by my Mom and Grandma. And to be honest I'm not sure I've made one before last Sunday. But I was craving a...

a hint of summer

floral romper | Isaiah 46:4 nook | neon swim Almost a week since I last blogged! I caught an illness from our two kids and spent Mother's Day weekend recovering. It turned into a very relaxed...

My Grandma's Books

When I traveled south in March I spent an afternoon at my grandparent's house in Hampton, South Carolina. They have a beautiful property with a pond, hammock, large garden, and chickens. And during...

weekend highlights

Friends we had more snow last week. It didn't accumulate much but we had several days of flurries. In May! To combat the cold, gloomy weather I bought fresh tulips from Trader Joe's (half the price...

friday links

backyard stargazing in GeorgiaThe history of Tupperware. Pretty origami butterflies. This Marimekko cover from Crate&Barrel. Beautiful bedroom with painted plank walls. An inventor box for...

new arrivals

Vintage Wooden Hangers $9, Tupperware Jello Mold $10, Stainless Gemco Creamer $10Each year in elementary school we sold chocolate bars wrapped in foil with white labels. I dreaded it. The thought...

lemon & blueberry

1. Lemon Bars | Camille Styles 2. Simple Blueberry Cakes | Top with Cinnamon 3. Lemon Meringue Pie | Design Sponge 4. Berry& Buttermilk Cake | Camille Styles 5. Blackberry & Blueberry Buckle Cake |...

vacation highlights

A few favorite Instagram photos @juliaonchurchillOver the past ten days we enjoyed time with cousins, grandparents, and great-grandparents in South Carolina and Georgia. We soaked in the warm...

what to pack: travel with preschoolers

We live 20 hours from both sides of our family and fly at least twice a year to visit family. I have developed a bit of process for what to pack for plane flights. Our kids are energetic and...

weekend highlights: Minnesota Arboretum + Excelsior, MN

I visited the Minnesota Arboretum last weekend with a group of friends. With over 1,000 acres it is the Upper Midwest's largest public garden. Even without flowers the space was beautiful. Group...

a someday cottage

I spotted this cottage several weeks ago and just could not get the yellow door out of my head. It is so cheerful and welcoming. Paired with the white screen door and bentwood chair it fits well...

Happy Easter!

friday links

aqua, my favorite | afternoon sunlight | shadowstulips | little pirates | resurrection rollsA few favorite links: Printed iphone photos via Printic.A beautiful blog for antiques and collecting...

DIY Natural Lace Easter Eggs

It is a family tradition to dye Easter eggs each year, and I've been interested in trying a natural food dye. So I pinned a few recipes for naturally dyed Easter eggs using cabbage, blueberries and...

a thrifted typewriter

Once a week a dear friend and I take turns watching each other's kids for an hour or two. The kids love the playtime and we get to run a few errands every other week. A few weeks ago I finished...

instagram recap: a trip south

Baby chick at my Grandparents | Moss-covered sidewalk | Mom's sweet tea A beautiful southern thrift store | Freshly fallen Camellia petals | Hello flip-flopsLast week I traveled south to visit my...

headed home

Ebenezer Creek, Dec 2012. photo by Lee Fain. I am unexpectedly heading to my hometown next week. I've been busy filling the cabinets with food, washing laundry, and gathering things for the kids to...

friday links

Pointillism for kids using pencil erasers. The 1950s dresses at 1919 Vintage. Sweet dress up hats. Another great thrifted finds blog. This rug and blanket. Repurposed potatoes. Happy weekend friends!

Dreaming of Spring

Row 1: Janie and Jack Floral Dress. J Crew Organdy Dot Dress Hanna Andersson Feels Like Spring Dress Row 2: J Crew Ponte Swing Dress. J Crew Carmella Dress. Forever 21 Classic Stripe Dress. Easter...

new arrivals [second edition]

Its been a busy week! I had a birthday on Tuesday. A big one--30! I took time off from blogging and meanwhile spent more time listing things on Etsy. I love learning the history of each item. The...

vintage cosco step stool

Kinsey and I visited our local thrift store last Friday. I was in search of small things until I spotted this vintage cosco step stool. It looks like it was used in a garage with paint platters on...