we have some exciting news....
we are headed to TX and will be selling our house

here is more info

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stay tuned!!

Sewing, sewing, sewing.... & Giveaway Reminder!!

Have you "liked" Pink Posie Designs on Facebook yet?

Simply "Like" Pink Posie Designs on Facebook for your chance to win a free clutch. One lucky follower will be chosen on September 1st!! Let's get to 200 LIKES!! Tell your friends!! Tell your family!! For 2 entries Pin it on Pinterest with the title "Like Pink Posie Designs on Facebook for a chance to win a free clutch!" for a second entry!!


It's that time of the year....
Time to sew like a mad woman until Thanksgiving and then take a hiatus for a few months.

In a month I will be a vendor at The Strange Folk Festival again!!! I *think* this is my 5th year as a vendor. Pink Posie Designs will be expanding into a tent this year. There will be too much to contain on one table! :D At least I hope so!!
September 28th & 29th, 10am-6pm
O'Fallon, IL Township Park
www. Strangefolkfestival.com

The following month I will be preparing for our Annual Holiday Open House Nov 3rd in Bethalto, IL and Nov 10th in St. Louis!!! This has become a wonderful tradition and has expanded every year. Our participants this year are:

Pink Posie Designs 

Elizabeth Williams Jewelry, 

Splendor Falls by Mary Claire Goodwin , 

A Little Lively, 

Sweet Petunias, & 

Hodge Podge by K.Tin. 

For more information on the Bethalto or St. Louis Holiday Open House please email pinkposiedesigns at gmail dot com.

144 Days Until Christmas

Just the other day I mentioned that it was 146 days until Christmas. Am I the only one that will act surprised when it sneaks up on me again and catches me off guard again?

I have vowed to not let that happen this year.
Which means..... I am planning out the gifts now that I will be making. We'll see if it actually happens.

For Ella:
Saw this super cute Dress Up Center at Ana White

Dress Up Center

And these super cute dresses on Etsy

@ My Kid Drawers

They inspired me to use this pattern to make my own:

Simplicity 2377

And some darling cloth diapers, wipes, bibs, & a bag for her babies

Baby Outfit

Cloth Diapers

Patchwork Bag

Keeping my fingers crossed for a productive Autumn!!

Ella's New Room.... (progress)

Warning! This is a photo heavy post! It's worth the wait though. :)

This was my old sewing room and soon to be Ella's new room.

Upon pulling the pressed board and paneling off the walls we discovered that there was ZERO insulation in the walls. Awesome.

Check out the restaurant carpeting. You know you're jealous. ;)

The low ceilings - exactly 1" above the door casing. 

All of the paneling, spline ceiling, carpet, & casings removed.

I think my nephew is always on the phone. ;)

Andy is in the old closet knocking the walls out. 

Better look at the old closet. We are taking the framing out for a larger room and moving the closet under the eave to the right of the window.

Taking the old rafters out and raising the ceiling 2 feet.

The walls have also been bumped out two feet. 

I spy a new closet!!

New rafter supports are in!

Insulation goes up.

After we installed the insulation we started sweating in there!!

Next comes drywall!

Don't know what happened to the drywall pics... 

These are flooring pics...

Flooring all installed and ready for sanding. 

New closet.

Old closet. By moving the closet to a new location and bumping the West wall out we gained 60 square  feet in her room!!

Standing at the window looking to the door. Both old closet area (on right) and new closet on left.

Final coat of poly!!

Letter the poly dry!!

As of right now the trim is up and painted. Too bad the big boys have moved in temporarily while we gut and demo their room. We just can't sit still long enough to keep from tearing something up. :)

Milestones...

These past few days are full of milestones.

On Saturday I blogged my 100th entry.

In a day or two I will reach 1,200 followers on pinterest.

On my shop's facebook page, Pink Posie Designs there's only a mere 92 likes. :(

Let's have a contest to get those "likes" through the roof!!

I would like to have 200 "likes" by the end of August.  If it happens I'll give away one of my very own clutches to the 200th like!!!

Win a clutch of your choice if you are the 200th "like" on my facebook page!!!

Spread the word!!!!
I wonder what would happen if I hit 300? or 400? or 500? I just might have to give away purses!!

Summer Adventures

At the beginning of summer I took a personal vow to go and "do more" with the kids over summer break. It didn't necessarily mean "spend more" either.

So far we have found several fun, inexpensive, and sometimes FREE activities. A few have been: berry picking, a visit to a dairy & yogurt farm, tennis at the park, visiting the water park, nature walks, visiting new bookstores with allowance money, treasure hunting at unique toy stores, baking and cooking together, art projects, and letting them teach me how to play chess.

Loved this painting!

Yesterday we ventured to the Abraham Lincoln Home & The Lincoln Museum in Springfield, IL. It was quit the treat, and had something geared for everyone in the family.

Last summer my kids discovered the Junior Park Ranger program offered through the National Park Service. It's a great way to get kids involved in history and the park service. At each National Park they have the opportunity to fill out a booklet (and learn a lot about the subject), earn a badge, & take a pledge to preserve, protect, and honor the National Parks.

We were able to make an entire day of our visit with a trip to Charlie Parker's Diner in between. I'm craving their sweet tea & BLT with onions rings now.

Family picture time!

A close up. The likeness is amazing in person.

Enjoying the sights with our Oregon friends.

The State Capitol building.

Blog Flake?

I do this all the time....
Get all excited about staying up to date on my blog with tons of pictures and tutorials and recipes and fun family adventures and house DIY projects and so on and so on.

It lasts all of on or maybe two weeks, maybe, if I'm lucky.

Question of the day....
Am I considered a blog flake though if I consistently do it though?

Sigh...

I have major blog envy for the crafty types that can manage DAILY updates WITH photos. How does this happen? And they have showered and actually prepared meals that they blog about. I secretly suspect clones. My only question is...Where can I get one?!!

So....
here's another photo dump (in no particular order) of what we've been up to since (ashamedly admitting) APRIL.

my baby girl started tennis lessons!!

went to a baby shower together. ella was expecting the baby to be there. :)

a birthday party at The Cup with some dear friends. 

enjoying No Technology Thursday with a game of world domination.

co-op dinners are a regular on the grill. 

time at the park before the 107 degree days roll in.

seeing a 2 day old baby calf on our field trip to Windcrest Dairy

surprise! celebrating an engagement at 360

celebrating again with an amazing wedding. still dreaming about the wonderful vegan food. 

getting some sewing done for my new collection at The Foundrie.

found a new favorite book store, AfterWords in Edwardsville.

trying to replenish fluids on a 107 degree day with some McAllister's Sweet Tea

that thermostat speaks for itself. :(

Introducing our favorite toy store, Once Upon a Toy, to our out-of-townies.

Using my favorite apron made by Mary Claire. Always makes me smile. 

Craft day turned into Jam Day - 8 batches of jam & 56 jars later...

finally installed bookcases from ikea a year after buying them.

finishing up the little miss' new room.

6:30 am road trip

enjoying some quite time with my gal.

yard saleing - one of my summer favorites. 

new summer mantle display.

blueberry picking. still have the chiggers to prove it.

birthday party fun!

too much birthday party!

having the pleasure of watching my niece own the soccer field.

road trippin' to Louisville and New Albanian Brewing Co.

beer and pizza. yum.