Sweet Dreams

Something to ponder upon as you head to bed this evening. This is going to render you the sweetest of dreams. Go ahead and let it go....You Can Not Do It All! What a relief that we all know that now,huh? Let's all just relax and have a good time this holiday season.

ALREADY THINKING

Although we are smack in the middle of holiday planning, there are only a few weeks left until the new year. I am already thinking about what I want to accomplish in the year 2011. Some friends and I are getting together for a Vision Board Party right after Christmas. Idea courtesy of our good friend Misty. She is super organized and tidy and everything nice!! Oh, note to self for the board...#1. ORGANIZE EVERYTHING!!!! We will bring ideas for the new year and create a message board to hang for easy viewing throughout the year. The daily reminder of good intentions just might be the ticket to keeping your resolution. Remember last year, I adopted a theory from my father-in-law." What you do on New Years day is what you will do all year" he says. So, last year, I ran a 5K on New Years Day. I ran several other races including a 10K and Half Marathon after that. I was doing great and very motivated but was injured by the end of March. I think it may have rang true though, because I would still be running if my heel, shins and knees were able! (On a side note and something else to add to the board," Be careful not to do too much too soon"!) So, do something that you really want to accomplish on the first day of our new year and see how it works out for you!

I will leave you with a few quotes that I love, and maybe you will want to use them on your Vision Board as well....


Those who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night. ~Edgar Allen Poe~

Vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare. ~Japanese Proverb~

COME ONE COME ALL!!!

I have loaded up the booth (Queen Of Hearts Buford)with the most exciting fabric!! Heavy jute to be exact. WOW..what it adds to holiday decor! I have it everywhere. It adds THE BEST texture to everything. I have it in 1, 2 & 3 yard bundles. If anyone out there needs more than that I still have it on a bolt to cut any measurement that fits your fancy. Another good thing about it is that it is 60'' wide! At our recent Artist Holiday Market, we had burlap covering the tables with this heavy jute as our toppers. PERFECTO!!! Oh yea..it is $12/yd. I know you will love it!!!

Happy December

I just did the annual Holiday Artists Market with a handful of artist friends of mine this weekend. There were so many cool handmade items there. I wish I had some pictures to show. Unique pieces of jewelry, handmade frames and jewelry organizers, ornaments, gift tags, custom art books and Gretta LaRue clothing to name a few. Also, there was beautiful photography displayed by my good friend Amber of Amber Davenport Photography. Her work is awesome! She did the photography and design of my Christmas card this year and I couldn't be happier with it! I will post a copy of it once they go out(TODAY). I can't believe it! I usually stress about them all month. It was so easy to just hand it over to her and, it is beautiful!! I have had them for over a week. They have already been delivered to my neighbors but, I couldn't remember to get stamps. What a nice feeling for that to be done so that I can move on to Christmas shopping, decorating, planning for company, making memories with my family and of course The Booth!

I just revamped the booth this weekend. It has loads of treasures to dig through. I currently have many gift and holiday decor items along with a brand new batch of designs for Gretta LaRue. They are going fast, so go on over and check them out. It is so cool to have a one of a kind item for your little one to wear for the holidays(and beyond). These frocks can be mixed and matched so nicely. You can get an idea through some of these shots. Again, no good photos....only an iphone in my possession when my booth was being transformed. Go on down to Queen Of Hearts and check it out. That store itself is a holiday gift!!

Fall Is In The Air/Booth

An October post would be nice...huh? I have really missed blogging! I know you don't believe me anymore...but I will say it again anyway....I am going to be a more frequent blogger!!!

I have Fallerized the booth. This fall you will find everything wood, galvanized and, of coarse, textiles. I love all of the different textures together. It is a very neutral palette and ready for a splash of holiday glitz. A few stockings have already adorned the mantel. Please go and check out Queen of Hearts in Buford, Ga. Each booth is a treat!! Gretta LaRue is located on E. Bay Street in the store. These are only the beginning stages of holiday and handmade gift items showing up on the shelves daily. Once again, photos are from the iPhone, but you will be able to feel the ambiance(minus the broom in the bottom right hand corner)HA!

Is It Really September?

Tarnished Silver Flatware Magnets.


My Handmade Burlap Magnets.





Gretta Gaucho with Removable Burlap Flower.



Well Hello...It is September, and I have had my booth for a full two months now. It is WAY more fun than I ever imagined and is going really well so far. I recommend it to anyone who has ever wanted to own a store but just doesn't have the time. I just go in and move items in or out, and design it exactly the way I want. Switching gears with the season change has been fun too (although I am not even close to being done). I have these pictures to share but my i Phone really doesn't do it justice. You'll just have to go on in and check it out in person! Gretta LaRue Designs is located on E. Bay Street(the isles are labeled by street signs). This way if you see something that you are interested in but you are not completely done shopping, you can just look to see which street to come back to. Trust me, it comes in handy. So, come on over to E. Bay and check it out!

DRUM ROLL PLEASE....

Ok, here is the BIG reveal...the thing that I have been working on for the past few months... the thing that I have been taking about doing for several years...DRUM ROLL PLEASE.... I have opened a Gretta LaRue Designs storefront at The Queen of Hearts Antiques & Interiors in Buford, Ga.This is my favorite place to shop on the planet!! It is such a happy place for me. I just love the treasure hunt and there are so many FAB designers there! It is going to be a blast! Although it was a lot of work, I am having so much fun with it. I am a avid picker, junker, collector... and my husband has a few other names for my hobby that I won't repeat. HAHA! No, I know that it is not for everyone. He is just a little bothered that I have taken the garage over(and the basement and the downstairs bedroom). OOPS!!

There is a little bit of everything in the store. I will definitely have plenty of Gretta LaRue clothing and accessories in the shop. Also, there will be antiques, collectibles and many re-purposed items. I am so excited, I want to go everyday. I opened up shop on July 1, and I am already moving merchandise. There will be fresh stuff there every week, so you have to go OFTEN. These photos are taken with my iphone, so bare with me. I have tons more to take to the shop tomorrow. There is a wine and cheese open house every Thursday evening from 6-8pm. It would be really fun to get your girls together and go sip some vino and dig through the vintage, right? That is my plan! I hope to see you there!

A Wrinkle In Time

Wow! I know I have been busy, but how did I get from there to here? Reminds me of a certain book that I was SUPPOSED to read in school!! I have really missed blogging though. My hands have been busy creating(mostly custom orders) but can't seem to get it together with the camera to show you guys. I have several things in the works. Some really exciting stuff! I hate to make announcements this big, because if I do not follow through (but I absolutely am) it will be a let down for us all. So, please bare with me, and I will let you know soon. Don't you hate it when people do that...I know I do. I think I would just rather be disappointed in the end than have to ponder over the big surprise. Sorry for that!!! I have been doing a lot of re-purposing, home decor and something else that I can't hint about without giving away. I am going to do better with the daily ramblings though!! Here is a recent shoot of my little bitty's that I wanted to share.

Welcome Spring

I just sat at an evening game at the ballpark without a jacket. We played outside today and got a little Vit. D. We walked to the bus stop to get Jackson. He was so surprised to see us on foot. I am loving this weather. It is so exciting to see my little trees bud and my hydrangeas grow. My children have asked me a million times lately, "can I wear shorts and short sleeves?" I can finally say YES! Man I love spring!

My Little Four Leaf Clover

Oh how I love St. Paddy's Day, or should I say, USED to love it. Now, we do not do much, but it used to be quite fun!! I am going to try to line up an outing to celebrate this long forgotten holiday. I better start now! I can pull out my clover covered 4 inch heels and become the rock star that I used to be...if only for one night.

Funny Things Kids Say

Today I was in my bathroom getting ready to go to the ball field. Gretta was watching every move I made, asking 50 million questions about make up, hair products, etc... I sprayed a little hair spray in my hair in the attempt to save it from the 30 mile wind gusts that we had today. She immediately asked what it was. As I explained hairspray to her, she had the most confused look on her face. Her response was.."You mean you WANT it to stay like that?" You gotta love her! She is so brutally honest and adorable all the while! We also took a trip to Walmart this evening. As was were loading up the car she noticed an elderly man coming out of the store. She said "Mommy that man is soooo old!!" He really was, which is why it is so hard to explain why it is not polite to say. Her funny comment list is so long that I will have to brighten your day with a few on each post. She is so curious, witty and fun. She gives us no choice but to keep it real around here!!

This is my 32 year old dress she is wearing. Vintage? I hate to call it that because it makes me feel "soooo old"!!

SCHLOPP

Schlopp. Schlopp. Beautiful schlopp. Beautiful schlopp with a cherry on top.~~Dr. Seuss

I will confess, I am a blog stalker. I can get lost in blogland really quickly, and before I know it, hours have past and I haven't even made it down 1/4 of my favorites. One thing that is pretty consistent with bloggers, no matter what their blog pertains to, they like to show off their dinner/desserts every once in a while. I sometimes wonder what triggers the thought to break out the camera at dinner time. At my house, it is the wildest time of the day. The baby is slinging food all over the floor and on the other children. The kitchen is a complete mess and J & G are usually aggravating each other at the dinner table. I am constantly having to remind them to eat and not talk. I stand up to eat most of the time, because as soon as I sit down, someone will need something. Pure craziness!! But, last night my camera was actually sitting 2 feet away from my dinner and a light bulb went off. I too can blog about my wonderful meal. Although it was de-lish, I have to say I have surely seen better presentation. A quote from my FAVORITE Dr. Seuss book "Oh The Thinks You Can Think" came to mind. That is why I am talking about schlopp, because that is exactly what my roast and veggies on rice looked like. It was quite yummy though!!

Bad Blogger!!

I really didn't know it had been this long since I actually blogged. Time is passing so fast. Birthdays, school stuff, getting ready for Valentines and the big whammy...sick child & sick me! Now, my husband is feeling crummy. I said the unthinkable the other day... that my older son had not been to the Dr for a sick visit for over two years. Why have I not learned my lesson about that? I jinxed us!

I know that it has been a long time since I actually showed you any Gretta LaRue. You have only been subjected to my crazy life and my beautiful children lately. But, I do have spring clippys and a few spring pieces to view (as soon as I snap some photos). And, I will also show you the Couture gown that I was going to wear to our cousin's wedding. I was in the process of making it and then got sick. Off the rack it is!! I still plan to finish it though, and when it is finished, I will share. I haven't made myself much of anything so I was super excited to see what I could come up with in my size. I think I was on the right track and it would have been gorgeous. Surely I can come up with another event that it will be appropriate for.

Have a good weekend and try to stay warm!!

My Baby Boy

WOW! Tomorrow my baby will be ONE. A whole year has past in one blink of my eye. I know I have said it before but he is my LAST little baby love. I love him soooo much. There are many special things about him that make him so unique and lovable. He is the best little cuddle bug. He just clings with the hugs. He even says...ummm, ummm ummm when he gives them. My friends who have babies his age have to hold my Little Law to get there cuddles in because he cuddles like no other!! He was also born with a Mohawk. I have never seen this before. This has been his little trademark. His hair recently started growing all crazy(as you can see coming out of the hat) and so we had his first real haircut a few days ago. He now has his signature haircut again. His laugh is so scrumptious... if I could bottle it up and sell it I would be a gozziillionair!!!! I know I am rambling on and on but I am feeling really anxious about him growing up so fast. Tomorrow is going to be both happy and sad for me. The way I look at it, this year went by so fast.... I will only have 17 more of these before I have an empty nest. I just want to stay in this moment for a long, long time. I know our babies have to grow up though. I told my older son to stop growing so fast and he said "Mommy, I just can't stop myself." Boo Hoo Hoo!!! If I really thought that he could, I would order him to do so! Anyway, we will be celebrating our last first birthday tomorrow with a small family party. This will be very different for us. Jackson and Gretta had big bashes for their firsts. I have learned a lot since then. If you have that many people to entertain and lots of bigger children there, it is not really about the baby anymore. So we will focus on him and him only on his big day. I see lots of hugs and kisses, great photos, a few new toys(which he doesn't need), and memories of him that will last a lifetime for us! He is so precious!! Thank you God for sending him to me!!!

SNNNNOOOWWWW DAAAYYYYY!!!!!!!!

I can remember how crazy exciting it was to get out of school for a snow day. I still get that giddy feeling when my children get to have one. Although we didn't get outside until the dusting of snow was almost gone, we had an awesome day. It was a PJ day and we put our snow clothes on over our PJ's to go out for a while. With the wind chill at 6 degrees, we didn't last long. It was enough time to get a few snowballs in though. My Little Lawson got to see snow for the first time which is always fun to watch. Gretta found some icicles, did snow angels and threw snowballs. Her fun ended abruptly when Jackson bombed her in the face with a snowball though. "OK..everybody inside for some hot chocolate!!!" We received a hot chocolate machine for a Christmas gift last year and that is one kitchen gadget that gets put to good use. It makes the perfect cup of hot cocoa. YUUMMM!!! I hope everyone had a good time in the snow today( if you were lucky enough to have it). Have a great weekend and try to stay warm...brrrrrrrrrr!