High School Graduation? Check! =)

Hey, friends! I'm alive! I am! =)

I promise I haven't abandoned you. I've simply taken a little technology to focus on several big events happening in my life. My graduation was two weekends ago. It was stressful and very wonderful at the same time. I'm still overwhelmed by everything that happened, but I'd like to share a few of the highlights from the weekend and some photos.

Highlights: 

1.) I reconnected with friends and family members that I hadn't seen in years. I was so surprised when I arrived to my party after the commencement ceremony and my best friend (who I hadn't seen in months) jumped out from her hiding spot and gave me a hug. Twenty minutes later, another friend (who I hadn't seen for almost three years) arrived with her family. Needless to say, I was giddy to see them again.

2.) I didn't faint when I gave my speech.

3.) The food was delish! Several relatives and women from my church volunteered to help cook and serve food at my graduation. It was such an incredible gift to my mom and I as it took away much of the stress of hosting a party.

4.) I got to toss my hat into the air. I don't know why, but tossing a graduation hat into the air has always been my dream. It was fun! =)

5.) I changed my mind about what college to attend (after "knowing" that I was going to go to a different college for the past two years) and felt at peace with the decision. God has been surprising me by opening several doors to make this financially possible. I hope to explain this more fully in a future post.

Okay... here are some pictures. They are in no particular order. Click on the pictures to enlarge them.



Art display.



Pie! There were three types... French Silk, Kentucky Derby, and Perfect Peanut Butter Pie. Yummy!



The guestbook.



A photo booth picture with my cousin.



Flowers!



The banner. I added some pink paper flowers to the corners to add a second focus point.



Sign at the front door of my party.



"Welcome friends, family, staff ..." Cue one of my awkward facial expressions.



Pink Lemonade Punch, Water, and Tea.



Cute table decorations my mom made using mason jars, coffee beans, old photos, doilies, and paper flowers.
Thanks, Mom! =)

 

     I want to give a big shoutout to everyone who has invested their love, wisdom, and time into my life during the past weeks, months, and years. No matter the length of time we have known each other, I am blessed to have met you.

 

    Blog readers, I've missed you! Enough about my life. I want to hear what's been happening in yours! Please leave a comment below telling me what's been happening in your life during May, prayer requests, and random thoughts. =) 

Wipe That Cake Off Your Face!

 

Have you ever smiled ... at a napkin? Probably not. Unless your napkin had cute pictures of puppies and kittens on it, of course.

 

A few days ago, I received a set of napkins in the mail that put a big ole' grin on my face. The napkins came from Kasey Boone of Confetti Grey, the lady in the photo below.

 

"I am a city girl with a crazy passion for clean designs and modern style, while at the same time, I love the art of creating something vintage 'looking'." - Kasey Boone
 

 I was thrilled when I opened the package and discovered these beautiful pink napkins with brown lettering. Aren't they fun!

I absolutely love the sassy words. When I read the napkins, the voice in my head takes on a strong Southern accent. I am so excited to add this fun flair to the dessert table at my graduation party!

 

 

 

As you can tell, the letters are slightly indented. The typography is absolutely fabulous. I love the way in which Kasey used a variety of fonts. As an artist, I know how difficult this can be. Kasey did a fantastic job of merging two very different fonts.

 

Overall, I was thrilled with Kasey's customer service and napkins. Kasey worked hard to ensure that the napkins perfectly matched my graduation decorations. She e-mailed me back and forth to confirm specific details about the napkins. I really appreciated her clear and speedy communication.

I couldn't have asked for a more fun or more beautiful set of napkins. These are perfect!

To learn more about Kasey or to buy products from Confetti Grey, visit:
Confetti Grey Etsy Shop
Confetti Grey Website
Confetti Grey Facebook Page

  

  

 

Images Courtesy of www.confettigrey.etsy.com

Teton Parchment Photography

In February, I wrote a post describing my plans for creating a postcard guestbook. Although the past few months have been extremely busy, I have made some progress on creating the guestbook. I recently purchased a simple, tan book from Hobby Lobby. It is made out of thick cardstock. I wouldn't describe the book as "pretty", but it is very "functional".

Now, I am in the process of decorating the book with quotes, old maps, and postcards. I'm using decoupage to connect the materials. I can't wait to show you some pictures of the final product! =)

Recently, Lisa Edwards of Teton Parchment offered to send me a set of six floral postcards to use in my guestbook. I am obsessed with her stunning photography, so I was tickled when Lisa's postcards arrived in the mail.

The packaging of the postcards was the first thing that caught my eye. I love the green paper! Lisa's thoughtful packaging impressed me so much that I had to grab my camera and snap a few pictures before opening the package. My sister kept saying, "Hurry up and open the package already." =)

 

I was even more pleased when I opened the package and saw the postcards. Aren't they beautiful! Purple is my favorite color, so I am happy that it is a reoccuring color in this group of postcards.

 

Two aspects that shine in Lisa's photography are the clarity and depth of field. The objects closest to Lisa's camera are amazingly detailed. I feel as though I could reach out and touch the flowers on these postcards.

I found the following words on Lisa's Etsy bio, and I believe they sum up the essence of her beautiful work.

Georgia O’Keeffe has had a significant influence on Lisa's work. O'Keeffe was not afraid to use bold colors or to dig deep into the center of a flower. In turn, Lisa endeavors to capture nature photographically; to be captivated as the morning light first emerges and mesmerized by the intricacies of the Creator’s handiwork. She enjoys nothing more than losing herself inside the delicate petals of a flower and helping others to see the same.

What a perfect description of Lisa's work!  I love that Lisa uses her photography to point back to the ultimate Creator of beauty. As an artist, that is what I strive to do as well. It is so neat to discover other artists who share that passion.

 

Overall, I was extremely pleased with Lisa's customer service, photography, and package design. If someone you know is a nature lover, consider giving him or her a package of postcards from Teton Parchment as a gift.

 

If you'd like to learn more about Teton Parchment, click on this link.

  

  

 

Have a fantastic day!

Personalized Chalkboard Mason Jar Review

I am a country girl, so it might seem fitting that I love any decoration that involves mason jars. I was totally pumped when Jamie of RODARTE Labs offered to send me a personalized chalkboard mason jar decoration to review.

Before receiving the jar, I enjoyed chatting with Jamie, because she is such an incredibly sweet lady. At the time she created my mason jar, she was nine months pregnant! Now she has a beautiful baby girl. Congrats, Jamie! =)

If you're like me, you might be curious about the story behind the name of Jamie's Etsy shop. I can't resist sharing a snippet of her artist bio from her Etsy shop.

This shop is a culmination of the passion and love my father and I share for creating beautiful and high quality items that we hope others love, too. 
What's in a name? As a recent bride with a new last name, I want to honor my maiden name and my father's family name - RODARTE labs - where creativity abounds. 

Isn't that story great! I love that Jamie and her dad are such a creative duo.

Jamie's creativity shines in the unique touches she added to the mason jar. Several intricate details stood out to me. My favorite detail was the chalkboard name tag. Jamie wrote my name in a beautiful script font. Then, she added a dotted design to the edges of the name card. 

I also love the bird Jamie attached to the side of the mason jar. The bird is made out of polka dotted brown paper. It has the words "Class of 2013!" on it. Isn't it adorable! 

The twine bow adds a great country touch and brings everything together. 

In addition to the jar, Jamie included two paper straws. One has pink stripes and the other has brown stripes. They match perfectly with my graduation decor! 

Overall, I was extremely pleased with the personalized glass mason jar. I can't wait to integrate it into my graduation party decorations. If you are interested in buying some fun mason jars for your next big event, I highly recommend that you check out Rodante Labs.

Stay tuned for my review of a driftwood cross decoration made by Jamie's dad. 

Have a fantastic day!

Class of 2013 Burlap Banner

 

 

Am I the only one who is still in awe of the fact that it is the year 2013? It seriously blows. my. mind.

 

Today I found myself thinking, Where has time gone? I remember freaking out on New Years Eve 1999, realizing that I would never live in the twentieth century again. To be honest, I was a bit sad. I liked living in the twentieth century. I was born in the twentieth century. So were my parents, my grandparents, and my great-grandparents. It was odd to think of writing or uttering the word 2000 on a daily basis.

 

Yet here I am. The year is 2013 and I'm happy, albeit a bit stressed. I'm extremely blessed. I have two more siblings, many new friends, and hundreds of beautiful memories.

And...I'm about to graduate from high school. My goodness!

 

A few days ago, I received a special gift in the mail. It reminded me once again of how blessed I am to be alive and thriving in the year 2013.

 

Here's the picture of the gift -- a beautiful, burlap pennant from Bridget Olsen.

Aren't the burlap pennants charming! I absolutely love the sparkly, black letters and digits. They contrast nicely with the burlap and are extremely easy to read. I call the look "classy meets country".

 

Each of the pennants are connected together with jute twine. When I experimented with hanging the banner in various locations around my house, I discovered that the banner is very sturdy. Yay!

 

I am so excited to hang this banner at my graduation party. It will be the perfect addition to my brown and pink country-style decor. =)

 

Thanks, Bridget for sharing your banner with me. I LOVE it!

 

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If you are interested in purchasing a banner from Bridget's Etsy store, please visit this link. Bridget has tons of gorgeous burlap banners, cake toppers, and Christmas stockings.