Bi-annual update

So when I started this blog I had great intentions of updating it all the time - as you can see that didn't work out so well.

So let me update you with what has been going on in my life in the last 6 months. The biggest news is that Greg deployed. He is in the guard, and he deployed in January after being home for 3 years and 2 days (not that I am counting or anything). He should be back before the end of the year. While communication is not as good as it was his last deployment, he is in a much safer location, and we are both very thankful for that.

Emily is doing well. She is getting so big, so fast. She is already reading, her penmanship has gotten much better, and she is just so smart. She learned how to do the monkey bars last week, and she is so proud of herself. She is very active in girl scouts, plays soccer, and will be starting t-ball next month. She has made some great friends at school, and we are very lucky that she is adjusting so well. She misses her daddy very much, but she is a strong girl.

Garrett is getting way too big, way too fast. I just bought his summer clothes, and they were all 12 months. He can wear them already! I am not sure who is letting him grow so big so fast, but I don't like it at all. He loves, loves, loves his big sister. No one can make him laugh like she can, and it is so cute to watch them interact. He is not crawling yet, but he wants to so bad. He army crawls and rolls to where he wants to go. He claps his hands, tries to wave, and babbles all the time. He has brought us so much joy, and I am so thankful that he is part of our family.

I am doing fine. I work part-time still. I co-lead Emily's daisy troop and am on the steering team for my MOPS group. All of that plus trying to manage everyday life on my own keeps me busy. The good thing about a deployment is it really opens your eyes, and lets you see who your true friends are. People who I wouldn't have thought cared so much have been so sweet and so generous. Offering to have me and the kids over for a meal, watching the kids when I have been in a babysitting bind, meeting up with me so I could get some much needed adult interaction, or just calling in and checking on us. I am so lucky that I am part of such an amazing MOPS group, and to have such amazing friends, and amazing in-laws.

I will try to update this soon, or at least before 2013.

Garrett Allen

Sorry that I haven't updated in a while. I have been a little busy cooking this little guy. His name is Garrett Allen, and he is such a joy. He was born on July 28th at 1:15pm and weighed 8 pounds 5 ounces.

Having an infant and a kindergartner has made my life crazy busy, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. I love my kiddos, and family!

Hopefully sometime next week I will be able to post more pictures of baby boy, and some pictures of his nursery, and some other little projects that I have been working on.

- Libby

I've Been Featured!

Yay, so excited!

Cross Wall

I love my cross wall. I have been collecting crosses since Greg and I got married in 2004.

Greg's old youth pastor and his wife made that one with the red and blue beads.

Overtime we just started getting more,

and more,

and more!

Some are ceramic ones that I hand-painted myself. Some were bought on sale/clearance. Lots were gifts.

It really is my favorite collection!

This is what it looked like in 2007, in our house in La. It wasn't nearly as big.

Right now I have it in our entryway, and I still have plenty of room to hang more crosses.

Linked to:
Funky Junk Interiors
Under The Table And Dreaming
Cottage Instincts

Ornament Wreath

I told y'all here that I bought all new Christmas ornaments on clearance last year. That means that I was left with all my old ornaments. What is a girl to do with all those ornaments? Well you're in luck because instead of listing everything that I could have done with them I am going to show you what I did.

Yup I made that!

Here's how:

I gathered my supplies. For this project I needed 1 plastic wreath from Hobby Lobby, 2 strands of red garland from Dollar Tree, old ornaments from my garage, and lots of hot glue.

(sorry for the blurry pic)

I took the red garland and I wrapped it around the wreath. I put a few dots of hot glue to start, and then put more on after every 10 wraps or so. It did pretty good staying in place without a ton of glue.

I just kept wrapping until it looked like this:

I loved it just like this, and thought about keeping it as-is, but I didn't.

I started gluing my ornaments on there.

It takes a lot of glue. Seriously, I probably burned through at least 10 sticks., but the finished product made it all worth it.

I love it! It is hanging on my front door looking all pretty!

Linked to:
Todays Creative Blog, Frugal and Fabulous Design, The Shabby Nest, Chic on a Shoestring Decorating, Funky Junk Interiors, Under the Table and Dreaming, Cottage Instincts

Barn Star Ornaments

I have always had a red white (silver) and blue themed tree. I love the colors. I have always just used the plastic ball ornaments, but last year I found these cute ornaments for 90% off at Kohls.


The problem with getting Christmas ornaments on clearance is sometimes you can't find enough. I could have just had a scarce tree this year and looked for more ornaments after Christmas, or I could have just pulled out my shiny Christmas balls that I have used before that didn't quite match. Neither one of those options would have really worked because I am too anal, and too much of a perfectionist (not about everything, just some things).

Found these bad boys on one of my million trips to the local Dollar Tree.
I love it! well not the snowman that is on there, he is just okay, but not really the look that I am going for. I love the shape! It is a barn star shaped ornament for only $1. I have seen them at other stores for $3+.

To fix this and make it match I used my new favorite thing in the world, well not really, but it's up there on my list of new favorite things.


Look at how great my barn stars look now, I love it!

These ornaments are a really good size too. Well worth their $1 price tag. Here is what they look like on my tree. I tried several times and could not get a great picture of the tree. I promise it has lights, lots of them, and they were shining bright.
I am still trying to decide if I want to paint the star on top white also. What do y'all think I should do?

(If you are eying that beautiful gingham garland and wondering where I got that from you can find out more about it here.)

Linked to:
Funky Junk Interiors
Saturday Mornings
Under the Table and dreaming
Cottage Instincts

Easy Cloth Garland

This is a great craft for a lazy person like me. It's easy, takes little time, cheap, customizable, and in my humble opinion, very, very pretty.

I went to the fabric store and found some fabric that I liked.


I cut the fabric into strips, I didn't really measure or anything, but I would say they were 1.5 inches by 8-10 inches.


Tied the strips together


Then I just wrapped it around the tree (probably don't have to tell you guys that, anyone who is smart enough to find this blog probably knows how to put garland on a Christmas tree.)


I took the rest of the fabric and laid it at around the bottom of the tree. Much cheaper than a tree skirt, and it matches perfectly.


I used 4 yards. The fake tree skirt could probably use a little more fabric, but I am too lazy to go get it. Actually I will say I am too thrifty to go get it. That sounds better.

The Christmas tree is not quite done yet, but I will have pictures soon to show you the whole thing.

Linked to:
My Romantic Home
Frugal Fabulous Design
Finding Fabulous
Fingerprints on the Fridge
The Shabby Chic Cottage
Paisley Passions
The Shabby Nest
Chic on a Shoestring Decorating
Freckled Laundry
Funky Junk Interiors
Saturday Mornings
Under the Table and Dreaming
Cottage Instincts