Baking for the dogs!

My daughter is quite the dog/animal lover.  She has decided for her 11th birthday (which isn't 

until January) that she wants to have friends over to bake dog treats to take to the Humane 

Society.  She's been on their website searching for ways to help the animals at the shelter. 

The Humane Society posts recipes for homemade dog treats.  My daughter printed the 

recipes last weekend and we got busy baking.

 

  These are the Cheesy Dog Cookies.

 We found these cute cookie cutters at Joanns.

Ready to bake!

 And, of course, we had to let our favorite dog do a taste test.   She loved them.

 We're planning to go to the Humane Society this weekend to visit with the animals and 

ask what kind of donations are needed.  My daughter is planning to ask her friends to bring

a special toy or treat for the animals in lieu of birthday gifts this year.   I'm so proud of her!

Living Room Shuffle

A little rearranging took place in our living room over the weekend.  I've never had a 

U-shaped seating area in this room, but after watching Nate last week I got inspired.

The 2 side chairs don't match, but they don't have to, right? 

I finally found some throw pillows that pick up a touch of the blue in the curtains.

Thank you, Marshall's!

This matted painting reminds me a little of my son/daughter.

These are some rocks we've collected at various beaches.

Nate also inspired me to use some of my daughter's necklaces for accessories.  

This is the other side of the room that has always been a thorn in my side,

because of the stairwell the wall is cut off (see the white molding at right)

making it hard to arrange.  The keyboard is also hard to decorate around.  

I'm considering a keyboard 'skirt' of some kind to soften it up.

Have you shuffled any furniture lately?

TOMS Shoes

Are you familiar with TOMS Shoes?   They are a shoe company that was created in 2006 by Blake Mycoskie.  He was traveling in Argentina and befriended children that had no shoes to protect their feet. Wanting to help, he created TOMS, a company that would match every pair of shoes purchased with a pair of new shoes to give to a child in need. One for One.  To find out more check out their website here....TOMS Shoes

We recently ordered several pair, 1 for me and 3 for my daughter.  They have a great selection and they are super comfortable.

 mine!

 My daughters!  They are cute with shorts, leggings, and jeans.

 

 These are just a bit dressier with the sheen (not really as shiny as the shoe in the background shows).

 

 Hope you'll check out their website.  

They're great casual shoes and such a great cause to support!

This says it all...

I was browsing through Marshall's last week when I stumbled upon this piece of artwork.  The words were a great reminder for living life a little less stressed.

I think I'm going to put this in my kids bathroom as soon as I get around to updating it a bit :)

What's your life mantra?

Hydrangeas Year Round

This is my 1st attempt at drying Hydrangeas.

I love them in the garden and want to see if I can enjoy them inside year round.

  These are the instructions I got off of google: 

Cut each flower with a 12 - 18" stem attached.

Remove all the leaves from the stems.

Place the freshly cut flowers in a vase with fresh water.

Make sure the stems are at least half covered with water.

Move the vase to a cool spot, out of direct sunlight.

  The flowers will still look attractive and can be used for display. Don't add more water as the 

water in the vase evaporates. It’s just there to allow your hydrangeas to dry naturally, rather 

than simply dry out. Once the water is totally evaporated, your hydrangeas should 

feel dry to the touch and ready to use.

 Wish me luck! 

Do you know any tips for drying hydrangeas or other flowers?

HGTV Giveaway

I "like" HGTV on facebook, so I receive frequent posts on the latest decorating tips and what's happening on all the shows.   I wanted to share this recent post from HGTV's Design Happens.  They're giving away one of these great garden stools from Outer Banks Trading Group in their Freebie Friday's segment.  Aren't they gorgeous?

 

 The giveaway ends Monday, Sept 5th.   

If you want a chance to win one of these garden stools go to

this site and leave a comment.  Good luck!

Click for official rules.

Happy Labor Day Weekend!