Hello, Hello...

Testing, testing (tap, tap, tap) 1, 2, 3... is this thing working? Can you here me now? Hello, hello, are you there? 

Geez, it's been a crazy busy few weeks and I've been missing from blog land. A little continuation of the Keeping it Real post from last time - My phone has been giving me grief lately. The battery will say I have 30% left and shut off, then one time it said I had 1% and kept on going. Today it went from 70% to 17 in a matter of minutes, so I think the battery indicator has a malfunction and I must charge it multiple times a day. (Edited to add - I just googled this and I'm not alone. Lots of issues with the batteries.)  It did an overdue update and now my blogger app crashes every time I attempt a blog post, so I'm trying something different for this post. Many of my pictures are on my phone (or shall I say 12,000+) and I find it easiest to upload my pictures from my phone, then I can finish the blog post from my computer. Blame it on slow home wifi for not wanting to upload my pictures on my computer and shall we talk about data?  Uggghhhh, why can't we all just have unlimited data? My iPad is out of data for the month and just as soon as I find some interesting and inspiring pod cast to listen to while working, my phone tells me I should slow down my usage... 

But enough of that - the daffodils have been blooming and the sun has been glorious this week! 

I love the 70-85° weather we have had in February! If only it would forever stay like this.

The sunshine inspires me! 

 I'm happy to report I got the sealer on my church boards (see last post) and I'm working on a new spring line of decor. As soon as I can squeeze in a photo shoot, there will be some new things online!

To me the golden daffodils are the flower that brings hope that spring is coming soon and better days are ahead after a gloomy and dreary winter

We are working on weddings, had a few local events,  plus getting ready for the spring Backwood's Marketplace and can't wait to show you some of the stuff we have in the works. I got a new power tool and found some fresh and springy fabric this week, so stay tuned!

Save the date! April 8-9 is the Backwood's Marketplace! 

Yellow Wedding Bouquets and Daffodils

Some weeks seem to be about a certain color. A few weeks ago it was all turquoise bouquets, week before last it was navy. It's been a while since I've had any yellow orders, but last week had lots of bright and cheery yellow bouquets. 

Thursday night, I received a message titled "I need help." She was helping a friend and they needed wedding bouquets for a wedding THIS coming Friday! I was able to rush the order for them and they are being air mailed to San Diego today! I'm happy I was able to help them out on short notice. 

They ordered a bridal a bouquet with jade and tan burlap roses and vintage Ivory lace flowers and 6 sunflower and burlap bridesmaid bouquets.  When we were discussing colors for the bridal bouquet and I sent a picture of the jade bouquet - she said "when I think Jade, I think more green instead of turquoise. It's not like that crazy color changing dress is it?" I must agree that I think of jade as being more green, but the jade fabric is really more of a light turquoise / aqua color. 

Yellow week coordinated with the daffodils blooming in my yard as well! I love daffodils and they signal that spring is right around the corner. 

One bride had added an additional bridesmaid to her wedding party and she chose yellow for her color and is surprising the mothers with wristlet corsages to wear.

In her previous order, last month, each person has a different color dress, jewelry and bouquet  

My Grandmama's birthday would have been last week as well. As a child, I picked daffodils out of her yard to give her on her birthday. It's been 14 years since I was last able to give her daffodils, although I still pick a bouquet on her birthday. I miss her so much...

Another set of yellow bridesmaid bouquets.

And a sunflower and burlap bridal bouquet. 

This week looks to be a combination of navy and turquoise bouquets, along with getting ready for the Backwoods Marketplace in just over two weeks! 

49 days till spring

If you know me, you know that I am not a fan of winter time. From the moment time changes in the fall and the first frost, I'm counting down the days till spring! 

I don't like cold, dreary days. I live for sunshine and pretty flowers in my yard, flip flop season, hands in the dirt, green grass, blue skies and wildflowers along the roads, cattle grazing in the pasture, fresh warm air, windows open... 

Winter is expensive - taxes, insurance, lots of feed and hay for the animals, heat / electricity, way too many layers of clothes, to still be freezing cold. 

So when I see the first daffodils of the season, it brings me great relief and encouragement that spring time is coming soon!!!  

I know there will still be some cold days ahead, but the end is in sight and these itsy, bitsy flowers make me happy! I can't wait for all the daffodils to be blooming in the next few weeks! 

By the way, it's 49 days till spring (and the Backwoods Marketplace)... Thank you sweet little daffodils for leading the way! 

Snow day

This week has been cold, icy, and snowy. I try to keep things positive here on my blog, but really, I just want to shout it out for the world to hear: I HATE SNOW. There, I said it! 

Yes, it can make for some pretty pictures, but in reality, its really more of big head ache. Our flowers and trees had already started blooming and showing signs of an early spring in Texas, then we had ice on Monday, followed by snow on Wednesday. 

There's always worrying will be have power. Thankfully this time, we kept our electricity, but the generator is on stand by, with water drawn up in ever pitcher and bucket to be had. We have our own water well, so no power equals no water, plus there's the job of keeping the well from freezing up. Last year, we were out for 3 cold days, so we do have a generator and an electric heater large enough to heat a room this year. 

The farm animals always need more feed and attention during the bad weather, so there's no staying in the warm house when the weather is unpleasant and the weathermen tells everyone to stay inside. I'm tired of bulky jackets and too many layers of clothes. I've got random gloves scattered everywhere and when I have cold feet, I'm just grumpy. The toes on my right foot, seem to go nearly numb every time I get outside, even while wearing wool socks and insulated boots. I truly do not know how everyone living up north handles this weather. I want to move south now and we only got a few days of this mess. I can not even imagine negative temperatures. I got in the shower a few days ago and thought there was a hole in the tub. I didn't realize how cold my toes were (I had on 2 pair of socks + fleece lined boots) and I couldn't feel the tub, It was a rather strange feeling. 

This is the reality of snow - spinning tires in the muddy snow, while trying to feed cows, then having to be pulled back up the hill with the tractor. Fun times...Not! 

In Texas, a little bit of winter precip shuts almost everything down, I had several orders that needed to go out in the mail yesterday. Thankfully my mail lady was able to make her route. She said it was tough going at times, but she made it! 

Then there have been frozen gate locks, slick steps that needed clearing, trucks that take much longer to warm, while covered in snow, the pile of wet and muddy clothes that need washing...

I could go on, but I'll stop here. At least we get a few pretty pictures from the snow! 

Thanks for letting me rant! I promise to have a happier post next time. So do you love snow or hate it? (I promise we can still be friends if you love it!)

Sweet Dreams

So, its kinda, sorta, in a way, our first Valentine's Day this year, yet Jeff and I have been together for over 13 years. Now that's got you thinking, doesn't it? As a florist, this is the first time in 15 years that I haven't been working in a flower shop at Valentines. We would work an insane amount of hours this week and by the 14th, I would come home and crash on the couch by 7:00 pm, feeling like I had missed an entire week of my life. I'm not missing the stress of Valentine's this year and have taken some time to do a little decorating in our bedroom lately.

 Remember my $3.00 light I found at a garage sale a few weeks ago? Its a little tattered, but the "love lamp" is perfect to me! 

 My side of the bed! While I was on my French Country streak, I printed these two signs on drop cloth. I had picked up the frames at a garage sale and painted and distressed them. Printing graphics (from the Graphics Fairy) on the drop cloth was super easy. The sign with the sheep is for a fabric shop and the bottom is from a flower shop - both my loves! 

 Our room is really tiny, err cozy. As I look at these pictures, I really think my bed needs painting or that I need to build an awesome head board. I've made almost all of the decor in our bedroom, or it has been repurposed from garage sales. The lace wedding dress hanging in the corner came from the same sale that I got the lamp at. I've used it as a back drop for my burlap bouquets a few times. I really need a model to wear it for me to do a photo shoot! 

I came across Parachute Home recently and how dreamy is this bedding? I'm sure the dogs would love to snuggle down in this! We would really have a hard time getting up in the mornings. 

 The daffodils started blooming in my yard this week, so I had to bring in a bouquet of fresh flowers! I'll take a mason jar of daffodils over roses any day. 

On Jeff's side - a reminder to Always Kiss Me Goodnight! The wall pocket is available in my etsy shop. I'm storing it on my wall for now ;)

 Happy Valentine's Day and Sweet Dreams Yall!

Hello February

Goodbye January, Hello February!

January was a good month. February has daffodils! Therefore February > January! There's nothing like those bright, sunshine yellow blooms to brighten up the landscape and scream spring time is coming. 

On the 2nd, my shop will celebrate 4 years since I opened my etsy shop. (Watch out tomorrow for a sale announcement.)

 This year will also mark the first year that I'm not working in a flower shop on Valentine's Day! I may not be too tired to celebrate this year! It's always been the busiest, most stressful week of the year for me.

You can hop over to Instagram (link below) or Facebook to see my favorite pictures from January video. 

http://instagram.com/p/yimlpdJDMq/

Speaking of Facebook - I haven't been active with my page for very long - if you are on fb, I'd love for you to come follow along with me. You can click the link on the sidebar to go to my page.

What exciting events happen in February for you? 

First Daffodils of the Year!

It's the happy time of the year when the first daffodils of the year begin to bloom! After many dreary days of winter, its so uplifting to see the cheery yellow blooms.

 

This one tee-tiny. lonely little snow drop bloomed today as well!

 

So far there is only a few random daffodils blooming, but I am excited about the show to come. Today we started some seeds in the greenhouse and are making plans for the spring garden. Spring can't come fast enough!