T.y.p.e.w.r.i.t.e.r.

My new Singer typewriter came in this weekend! I couldnt be happier with how cute it is. Now I just need to buy a new ribbon for it! Katelyn got one too and we are going to write letters with them!

I didnt have a space for it, and my work corner desperately needed a makeover, so I buckled down the afternoon and got it done! There used to be a big yellow shelf where the typewriter is, full of mailers and such for my shipping. And the big black shelf was our china shelf. Well, we dont really use our china, or our wine glasses, so I packed it all up and made my china shelf my mailing shelf, but in a cuter way! Much more practical for me. And I drug this old drawer shelf out of my closet and decided to use it again. It is still a bit cluttered, but for those of you who havent been to my house, it is pretty small.

I got this sweet bird embroidery from In My Nest on etsy. It is the sweetest embroidery I have ever laid eyes on. So happy to have it in my home.

My china shelf turned mailing shelf!

I got a super rad package from my friend Katelyn yesterday. Look at the silly drawing on the back of the package, he he.

Check out all of this stuff! I ordered that amazing print from her shop. And along with it, she sent me a wooden fertility goddess, ha ha (with a note telling me to go get it on, lol), a set of handmade paper with peacock feathers printed on it (this was a project she had in the works for sometime, it was a project she created of making handmade papers inspired by certain people, and I was one of them!), a hoop sticker, my invoice origami-style and a sweet note. Love it all!

And my dad came over this afternoon and brought Noogs, his teacup chihuahua... a.k.a. my little brother. He is getting so old. It was so nice to see him though.

Ha, and this is an old pic of me, well, I guess last season, when I first got my glasses I think. I randomly saw it while saving files and it made me miss cold whether so much... it is so flippin hot here in texas its not even funny, at all. especially when your car has no a.c. At least I found some old Neil Young tapes at a garage sale last week, that is what keeps me sane while driving. And now I have his 'Decade' album on cd, vinyl and tape! woo hoo!

PEACE,

Laura

Life at Random

A little post for the randomness of my week in photos...

My garden is looking amazing with all of this lovely rain we have been having here. I havent had to water all week! I am growing carrots for the first time, and I just couldnt help but pick one the other day just to look at it, and OMG am I glad I did! Look at how absolutely adorable that carrot is!!! Made my moment for sure!

I love watching Violet on the porch. She loves this chair so much, we pretty much named it Violet's chair. She could just sit in it forever and watch things going on outside. Alot of times I will look out the window and she will have her little paws up on the arm rest, crossed, with her chin resting on them, its the cutest thing ever! Well SHE is the cutest thing ever... She sleeps inside every night, and the second she wakes up, or we wake up I should say, she runs to the door so she can go on the porch and sit in her chair :)

My fridge at the current moment.

Sat on the porch or a bit the other day when it was raining and red a bit of my Leonard Cohen poetry book, and then was inspired to write some more myself in my beautiful book below. I love Leonard Cohen, he is such an odd, inspiring artist who passionately writes about deep intense love that exists only in his head... Amazing what an artist loneliness can make of a person.

I got a pretty new dress at goodwill and upcycled it just a bit. Now its not just pretty, it beautiful and worthy of a date, I do believe.

Probably my favorite thing from the past few weeks is that James has been playing guitar almost everyday. This makes my heart so incredibly happy. And I give credit to awesome friends who passed on a new guitar and ones that have inspired him to play more. Im very excited for him and Jonny to play more together.

And we have been doing alot of hula hooping, and yes, James has joined in on the fun, and he is so funny when he does it. He has all kinds of moves... he has a 'michael jackson' move, a 'home alone' move, an 'elvis' move... Im sure there is more Im forgetting about. He cracks me up everytime he picks up the hoop!

Ha ha, check out this one...

And yes, I hula hoop in my mumu at night, lol. I got this pink nightgown at walmart and james just about freaked when he realized I was serious about buying it. It was so funny. He was so embarassed that I was buying a mumu. Although, I dont really think it is one, but he calls it one... I happen to think its quite adorable... ha ha.

And I had a little visit with Shelley and got to play a bit with Isabel and Xavier. The two most precious babies in the whole entire world. They have a HUGE place in my heart.

Just look at this boy! Ridiculously cute.

And now, more rain... Its been everyday. I really hope it clears up a bit while Katelyn is here... Speaking of, my friend Katelyn is driving all the way from Louisianna to come stay with me! I am so excited to meet her and her beautiful little girl. We are going to have so much fun together!

Time to get my post on! A few new dresses in the shop tonite!

PEACE,

Laura

The Little Things in Life

This post is all about the little things in my life as of late that have put a smile on my face. I do believe, that no matter what is going on in your life, being able to appreciate the smallest of things, will help you out in a big way. So take some time today and think, or even make a list of things that have made you smile lately.

This current moment, I have a smile on my face watching this down pour rain outside my window. My house is dark with only the light of the computer, my dog is on her chair on the porch, my cat is on her pillow by her window, my bird is still sleeping... peaceful. I think my mom told God that the plants were thirsty :)

So, onto the first thing that has made me very happy, is this beautiful journal my friend Renea made me from a vintage book, in an amazing shade of green, titled A Thing of Beauty. She lined the inside with the most beautiful brown and tiny floral fabric and glued a bunch of blank pages on the inside. I love the ribbon strapping also, with a vintage button. She wrote on the front, 'the personal dialouge of Laura'. I love it so much. And I have started writing again because of it. Along with events in friends lives... it has given me space to feel again. Do you ever have a heavy heart when things are going on in others lives? I know I do.

This just makes me smile, my friend Alyssa put this on the envelope to my birthday card, which was also very adorable. I thought it was so cute, especially coming from someone who probably thinks she in not creative! She is so precious. Oh, and I love the way my pink lights look in the background, that made me smile also :)

Even though this was not for me, it made me smile alot! Our friend Jen, the photographer mentioned in my earlier blog, made this little pie just for James! She had made a key lime before for a birthday we went to and James just fell in love with it. So, for my birthday she surprised me with a cherry cream pie, and James with his own mini key lime pie. It was the cutest thing ever. And not only that, but she just made him a big sized one too! The rest of the limes finally ripened. Yum yum! Seriously the sweetest girl. I wish everyone could hear her talk, it is the cutest thing. She has to be one of the most interesting people I know. Soon, I will be doing a feature on her, so Ill write more on that later!

James made his famous Ginger-Lemon with Raspberries Tea on my birthday. I enjoyed it so. And even more so in this little Lily of the Valley glass that was one of my mother's special glasses. Do you have 'special' glasses you like to drink from? I have one for just about every situation :) I like certain cups for certain drinks...

Eating leftovers from my birthday. Oh man, I did not want this stuff to end! My friend Sally makes the most amazing Manchego cheese anti-pasta in the world. It consists of manchego cheese, kalamata olives, heirloom tomatoes, fresh herbs and olive oil. Then I had left over bean dip that Jonathan made with his Johnny spice! Yum, love that stuff! And I made my friend La La's guacamole dip that everyone always loves. Good stuff!

Then for two mornings in a row I made myself homeade corn tortillas, a fried egg, and added the bean dip and the guacamole! I wish I still had some left, that sounds so good right now!

Bella has been so lazy this week with all of this rain. She is just so cute. I had my journal out next to me and she had to lay on it :) She lays on anything I do...

I burned my mini sage sticks that Sally got my for my birthday. They are the cutest things ever! I love the way burning sage smells...

I have really been enjoying my house lately. It just feels like home. Especially when its clean. And my hula hoop. I havent had much time to learn a bunch of new tricks, but I at least make time each day to waist hoop for a bit. But soon I will get serious about busting out some moves! Oh, and kind of hard to see, but on the floor is my new afghan I found at a thrift store for $3!!!

After seeing Jen's nails at my party, I had to have some green nail polish. I dont paint my nails a whole lot, but when I do, I love to play with color. I usually do teal or purple. I was very excited while grocery shopping to see this nail polish, I grabbed it right up!

Another simple joy lately has been taking photos of lots of random things. Sometimes I go through periods where I dont take as many photos, and I always wish later that I did. So I have been getting back into documenting life through photos, one of my favorite things...

What makes you happy lately???

PEACE,

Laura

A Rose, By Any Other Name

This post is going to be a blend of cute pics of current life, as well as meaningful words to a special someone... no names, but if you are reading this, and it speaks to you, then it just may be you that I am speaking to :)

"Even when our life is most difficult, it is important to remember that something within us is keeping us alive, the life force, that lifts us, energizes us, pulls us back sometimes from the abyss of despair. True spirituality does not exist without love of life."

~Nathaniel Branden

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...a poor man's roses or a rich man's gold...

(check out the band in jame's shirt, its amazing)

I am baby sitting my little chihuahua brother Noogs while my dad is gone. He hasnt stayed with me in years. He is such a grumpy but cute little dog. He is definitely a one man dog, and that man is my dad. I miss him though, I dont see him everyday like I use to when I worked with my parents.

He is now on daily heart medicine b/c he was having problems. He pees all the time, he is a mess. But he is my brother and I love him so. He smells like a peanut to me. And he hates his feet being touched. Oh, and his favorite thing is to hump a stuffed football :)

This is my most adorable shirt I bought at Renegade. Its two little girls combing hedgehogs! Doesnt get much cuter than that!

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I have spent the last two days re-vamping my house and it feels so good. I cleared the living room a bit so I can hula hoop inside. I am on day 3 of hooping, although I didnt get to practice today... It may be hard to see, I think you can click on the photo to enlarge, but the dress form on the left is wearing PPP, Violet Bella, and Pennythreads! It all looks so cute together! And I lined up all of my wood blocks on the dresser, love them.

Here is Bella sitting in my sewing corner. (I have corners for everything, my house is small) And yes, this little space is wear all of the sewing magic happens... The blankets are my special blankets, from bottom up is one my nanna crochet, one my aunt lisa (my mom's sister) crocheted, and one my mom made when she was probably younger than me, a crazy quilt patchwork with very cool and old hippie fabrics, many she hand embroidered peace signs and mushrooms on :) one of my most treasured things I have.

As you can see from these photos, Bella follows me everywhere! I mean it. My new bed cover I found at a garage sale for $10!

I rearranged my furniture in my bedroom. I love my bookshelf in the corner. My dad made it. And now you can actually see and sit in my green velvet chair, it was tucked in a corner. The sun quilt is also one my mom hand made when she was very young. I have so many meaningful things she saved. Mothers, save your stuff! You never know what will be meaningful to your daughter one day, especially if you made it by hand! But dont be a hoarder :)

Oh, and the patchwork pillows on the chair I found at a local thrift store for like 10 cents!!! And we got a Liberty Leaf bag at target and use it for our laundry, I love it!

I even rearranged the porch! And I am happy that Violet still gets in her chair since I moved it.

Tomorrow is the kitchen! Im in major overhaul mood!

Now, for more words...

"If we could see that everything, even tragedy, is a gift in disguise, we would then find the best way to nourish the soul"

"over the years, i have learned that every life circumstance, even a crisis, can nourish your soul. at moments like this, we stand at a fork in the road. if we take the fork most commonly traveled, we collapse, we give up, feeling hopeless and defeated. we focus on the negatives, losing ourselves in the 'problem'. we point to our unhappy circumstances to rationalize our negative feelings. this is the easy way out. it takes, after all, very little effort to feel victimized.

ultimately, when you listen to your inner callings, when you 'follow your bliss', you are practicing the art of self-love. many of us have been taught that self-love is negative, narcissistic, and selfish. in fact, self-love is just the opposite. people with genuine self-love feel nurtured and complete: they have something left over for other people. when you look for the best, when you love yourself fully, and when you know that 'youre not fully OK, but that's OK', you are nurturing your SOUL on a daily basis. the soul accepts you as you are.

whether you know it or not, one of the most important relationships in your life is with your soul. will you be kind and loving to your soul, or will you be harsh and difficult? many of us unknowingly damage our souls with our negative attitudes and actions or by simple neglect. by making the relationship with your soul an important part of your life, however, by honoring it in your daily routine, you give your life greater meaning and substance. use your experiences, all of them, as opportunities to nourish your soul!"

~Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, M.D.

...food for thought...

PEACE,

Laura