Last week we ventured out to find plants/flowers for many of our pots that are around the front porch and back patio. It was wonderful to have some unhurried time to pick flowers. Sister wanted dandelions but I talked her into a few other actual flowers instead of weeds as we have plenty of those. You can imagine other shoppers faces when sister was very persistent in wanting dandelions! Here is what we ended up with…

Yes, well I might of started the quilt early but I finished it just in time for the birthday party! I like the way that it all came together. It is still a little over the top pink for me but I think that sister will like! Everything is all wrapped up and ready to be opened tomorrow at her party. The cupcakes are finished and I just have a few treat bags left to put together. I finished half of her birthday outfit a few days ago but the shirt is still waiting! There is still time…right!? For now I am off to clean up the icing and sprinkles that are all over the kitchen!

Okay, Nashvillians Now has tagged me to share five things that constantly bust my budget so here we go…
1.) Is number one really a secret to anyone who reads my blog? Fabric!!! A lot of places you just have to buy it when you see it or next time it will be gone…that is my story and I am sticking with it!
2.) Home parties!!! It doesn’t matter if I am planning on buying five things or nothing at all every time I go to a party (Southern Living, Creative Memories, Taste of Home, Tupperware etc.) I totally blow the budget and buy the things that they highlight during the show even if I totally do not need them!!! I am an ideal person to invite to a home party!!!
3.) Currently I am blowing the budget on flowers! Spring is in the air and all my containers are anxiously awaiting their plantings!!!
4.) Books! I was not a big reader at all until a few years ago when I was invited to join a book club and now I read a lot and really enjoy it (even outside of book club)!
5.) Ordering Digital picture prints always blows my budget as well!!! I just always feel like I need them all even if I do not have a use for them! I guess that comes from growing up without digital pictures and always having all the pictures that were taken. Who knows, I just need them!!!

Okay, I am going to tag my SIL’s Ariana’s Impressions and Refrigerator Art (I know they might have fabric on their list as well but I am excited to see what else bust their budgets) as well as Some of a Kind. I found Some of a Kind through doing the Sophia Bad swap! Check out her bag here as it is really cute!

The Sophia bag is finally all done! I had my doubts about accomplishing it this month with many other projects going on around here as well as a trip out of town but look, it is all done! I definitely had my moments but I am so excited about the way that it turned out. There are definitely little quirks to it but overall I am excited about it!

Just had to share a few more signs of spring that continue to pop up here! I am loving all the fresh greens that are appearing!!!

One of my favorites that I watch for each year is the blooming Periwinkle.

New leaves on the Birch tree along with a little bird nest!

So the Sophia bag is slowly but surely coming together. I have great hope for now and just have the lining left to do. I decided to head to Hobby Lobby today as I was in search of some purse feet. They are not a must have but someone had found them on clearance and I thought that it was worth a look. While I did not find any purse feet I did find one lonely bolt of Alexander Henry fabric! Who knew that Hobby Lobby carried Alexander Henry!? I was drawn to the fabric and really could not figure out why until I checked out the label and realized that it was Alexander Henry “This Land Is Your Land”. I am not sure what it is with me and this company!!! It was the only fabric that was not on sale of course so I just purchased a small amount but I think that it will make cute little zippered pouches with a few other fabrics thrown in and maybe a little ric rac. I was excited about the fun find!!!

We loaded up the car last week and headed for the beach for a little break from “normal”. We met up with my husbands family for a week of rest and togetherness and a wonderful time was had!

Now what would three ladies do on vacation…hit the outlets? Naaahh, we hit the fabric store! My sister-n-law found a great little quilt/cross stitch shop so three of us piled into the car and went with great anticipation.

They had a pretty good selection and I was excited to find that they had better prices than our local quilt shop. I of course could not resist a few of the finds!

After a busy afternoon of shopping at the quilt store how else would you unwind but with a game of Settlers of Catan! I think that we played three games during the week and I am very excited to report that I actually won one of the games! There was some fierce competition so I was pretty excited!

It was a great week of being with family, resting, enjoying the kiddos and a hubby who took the whole week off! We are very thankful for Brad’s parents invitation and getting to visit the beach for a bit. Sometimes it is quite nice to feel the sand between your toes, the wind on your face and hear the waves as they break!

Here is a peek of what I will be doing for the next few days to come! Laundry laundry everywhere laundry!!! The trip was still worth it though!

Yes last week Martha had cupcake week but we are pretty passionate about the Pillsbury Funfetti cupcakes around here! They are tasty and they are fun to bite into as it looks like there is a little party going on inside of every cupcake. I do love making homemade cupcakes for birthdays but anytime there is an excuse to make the Funfetti I go straight towards it, much to my husbands chagrin. Plus when the cupcake is all gone the wrapper still looks festive!

Oh yes, my trusty friend the seam ripper. We have become so close over the last few years! So here I sit with my good ole’ Sophia bag ripping out the zipper! I have successfully installed a zipper before but I think that this is what happens when one tries to sew when they are a wee bit tired! Note to self!!!

We are getting ready to head to the beach soon so I decided that the cousins needed matching pj’s! There is no logic to my mind just the random hey, we are going to the beach and the cousins will be together, shouldn’t they have matching pajamas! I found the fun ocean print in the Snuggle Flannel at Joanns and knew when I saw it what it would become. I had to make sisters a little more girly with the ribbon but she is pretty excited about the bubbles on the fabric!