{farmers market & thrifting this Saturday}

I'm heading up to the Farmers Market in Salt Lake on Saturday & I'd love for anyone who wants to come to join me! After the market, I thought I'd hit up a few thrift stores & yard sales too!

Let me know by Friday afternoon if you want to come so we can set up a place to meet and/or carpool up. (Ya'll are invited so don't be shy now!) You can leave a comment, call me (if you have my #), or email me at shans_design{at}yahoo{dot}com.

I like to go early (to beat the crowds and the heat) so plan on meeting at 7:30 (if you want to drive together) or meet at the us at the market @ 8:00! I know, I know...it's early...but you can take a nap in the afternoon, right? After all, great finds & bargains don't hang around all afternoon!

picture via my happy little life

Can't wait to see you there!

{sun prints}

I found my sun print kit a few days ago, as I was cleaning out some drawers (which I have to do periodically so they can close! I tend to hold onto things...). I bought it about 4 years ago at the Getty and I was glad to see the paper was still good! You can buy the kits here for fairly cheap! It comes with 12 sheets- perfect for making a calendar this this one!

This was my little experiment...

{to my handyman}

Happy Anniversary Lover!

Thanks for two amazing, memorable, fun, at times hard, but most delightful years of marriage!

...and I thought I loved you then!

Here's to many, many, many more years to come!

I love you,

Your Design Gal

xoxo

{Pioneer Day}

In Utah, we celebrate Pioneer Day on the 24th of July. It commemorates the entry of Brigham Young and the first group of Mormon pioneers into the Salt Lake Valley on July 24th, 1847.

For my husband and I, it also commemorates the celebration of one of America's most beloved traditions- the Demolition Derby!

*insert hill-billy banjo music here*

After all, it wouldn't be the 24th of July with out a family BBQ, fireworks, and old clunky cars beating the heck out of each other, now would it?

And at this derby, they don't just serve your typical hot dog & peanuts. No, this small town serves Dutch Oven Chicken Sandwiches and fresh peas! Don't you love the pea guy's costume? I wish we had bought some!

{garden tour}

Remember about a month ago when I talked about going on the garden tour in Utah County? Well, my friend Megan and I went and had a blast! I hadn't seen Meg since her wedding which was about 5 or more years ago, but we picked up right were we left off! Not only did she keep me laughing, but she has quite the green thumb herself and gave me tons of pointers! Here are a few pictures of my favorite gardens!I love the clematis that is climbing on the arbor!

Herb garden surrounded by pavers- isn't it cute?

Little bird nest

I about died when I saw this planter! Succulents + vintage typewriter = garden lust!

Bumble Bee

This was another favorite. My mom as an old bike in her garden too that she's made into a planter. Now I need to find one!

Doesn't the woolly thyme add a softness to the stone pavers?

And last, I love the potted plants on the side of the house!

P.S. This should go without saying, but if you want to use my photos, please ask before you take! Thanks!

{outside, looking in}

Do you leave your blinds open? I do.

Even when I lived on my own, I kept my drapes open. Maybe I didn't want to hide the old, beautiful, paned glass french doors from the 1920's, or maybe I wanted to show off my cute decor to the condo dwellers across the street. Looking back, it probably wasn't the smartest thing to do. I mean, some crazy person could have been watching me and realized, "Gee, I don't see anyone but her in there 90% of the time (note: Andrew did come over now and then when we were dating) and it looks like she's on the 2nd floor...hmmm..." and then he would have plotted to kidnap me. I mean, it's not like I ever walked around naked with the blinds open (okay, it happened once- that's a story for later- remind me to tell you), but I really enjoy the natural light coming in during the day and seeing out at night.

No need to worry though, I'm no peeping Tom, I just love seeing houses lit up at night. There's something about warm lighting radiating from a window that adds so much to a home and walking or driving by a house with the blinds open that is decorated nicely is something I enjoy seeing. I guess it gives off a homeyness from the outside looking in and it's comforting.

{featured}

I can't even begin to tell you how excited I was to be featured on Design Sponge! I love their blog and I was so flattered that they'd post about my concrete garden spheres!

Thanks to everyone for their comments! It's moments like this that make my day!

Also, many of you have asked about how I got the concrete stepping stone out of the pan.

I

I also sprayed the baking pan with non-stick cooking spray (I suggest using an old pan) and when it dried, I just flipped it over and out it popped!

If you have more questions, feel free to email me!

shans_design{at}yahoo{dot}com

{concrete garden balls}

I am loving my new garden and the projects it has allowed me to explore!

My fantastic mom first introduced me to concrete garden balls when she made her own years ago, and I knew once I had my own yard I wanted to make them too!

Here's how I did it...

1~ I bought these glass light covers at a thrift store for $3. Make sure there are no cracks in the glass or it will break when you fill them with concrete!

2~ Spray the inside with non-stick cooking spray- it helps in breaking the glass away from the ball at the end!

3~ Set the glass ball in a pile of dirt or sand so that it can't roll away while you're filling it and as it's curing.

4~ We used a quick setting concrete found at most hardware stores. I like the ones with fine gravel. Pour the dry mix in the bucket (we poured about 1/2 the bag in) and then add water until it reaches the consistancy of peanut butter...or maybe a little bit runnier. You don't want it too runny, but not too hard either. Play around with it!

5~ Use a small garden shovel to fill the balls. After every scoop, give the ball a shake or twist to help it settle and break up any air bubbles.
6~ Fill the ball to the top and try to make it as level as possible. We had a little bit extra so I used an old baking pan to make a little stepping stone & used gravel (from our soil- it's so rocky!) to make the heart pattern. Let the balls sit for at least 24 hours to set up! When the concrete has turned light, use a hammer to lightly tap the glass and break away pieces off the concrete ball. Make sure you wear gloves & safety glasses so you don't injure yourself! Throw away the glass and you're done!
The balls will be heavy, so be careful when you lift them! They add great detail to your garden and they're so easy! If you have any questions feel free to email me!

{this guy knows how to write a love song!}

So, I didn't dance at my wedding. I know....I totally regret it. I'm not sure why we didn't. Maybe because we weren't big dancers, or because there wasn't a "dance floor" at our reception center. Hmm...Anyway, it's the one thing I would change about my wedding day, and today as we were driving down Sardine Canyon after spending the weekend at Andrew's grandma's house, this song came on. Now, if you know me, you know that any sappy love song or even a commercial on TV (usually Hallmark) can make me cry like a baby, so when I heard this song and listened to the words I lost it. Even though I'm not huge into country music, I told Andrew that this is the song we would have danced to. This song is so US. Seriously, when I really listened to the lyrics I was like, "Wow...this is our story!!!" Here are the first couple of verses...

I remember, trying not to stare the night that I first met you

You had me mezmorized

And three weeks later, in the front porch light

taking forty-five minutes to kiss goodnight

I hadn't told you yet

but I thought I loved you then

And i remember, taking you back to right where I first met you,

You were so surprised

There were people around, but I didn't care

Got down on one knee right there once again,

I thought I loved you then

Ahhhh...I'm losing it again just typing that! He did take me back to where we met when he asked me to marry him (a pavilion at a park- we met at a bbq) and I was totally in love with him after 3 weeks. I remember sitting on the couch one night after we had watched a movie and he was falling asleep. I whispered/mumbled "I love you" and he suddenly was awake and said, "What'd you say?" I got scared and said, "Umm...nothing..." but a week after that he told me he loved me, and the rest is history.

Maybe I should plan a trip to Hawaii to "renew our vows" and then we can have our dance....

*sigh*

then again, there's always our 50th wedding anniversary right?

{6:54 am}

yes, it's already that kind of day

{this one's for Michael}

I've always loved Michael Jackson's music. I'm not a crazed fan, but I was sad when I heard he died. He was interesting to say the least, but so talented! It's too bad the later years of his life were so chaotic. In memory of him I thought I'd post my favorite Michael Jackson song & dance. Wasn't he good looking when he did this?

I think so :)

{a swift change to a thift store chair}

before......and afterAll for $10! I already had the fabric (which I took from another chair I was working on...I cut the fabric too short for the first chair- oops!- so I'm glad it worked for this one!) and since the padding in the chair was still good, I just stapled right on top of the old stuff!

{antiquing & thrifting in Boise}

I meant to post about this sooner, but just as soon as I got home from one trip, we left on another, though this time, it was for pleasure- not business! We spent the 4th of July down in St. George with my grandparents. My parents and brothers also went down, and it was great to spend some time with them!

More about that later though- first, here are some pictures of a little place in Boise called The Shabby House. Seriously, if you're ever up in the area you must stop by! I wish I had driven up to Boise, instead of flown so that I could have taken more treasures home with me! I did leave with a few things though (that I carried on the plane, since they wouldn't fit in my luggage), but the best part is that everything was so inexpensive!

inside the shabby house on the covered back porch- i loved the hanging head board!

outside in one of the many tents filled with lovely treasures! this little blue table would have been one of the treasures i would have taken home, had I driven up!

original green paint!

aren't these retro glasses funky!?

i almost rented a van to drive home in when i saw this iron bed frame- i'm seriously thinking of driving back up for it!

and these were the treasures i carried home with me! can you believe i only paid $16 total?! that's right! mamma's a bargain shopper!

Now, let's start planning our thrifting trip!!!

{shut up and kiss me!}

My mom introduced me to Mary Chapin Carpenter many years ago and I can't get enough of this cd and this song right now! I think I must miss my husband! ;)

Mary Chapin Carpenter - Shut Up And Kiss Me (Official Music Video) - The most amazing bloopers are here

{there's no place like home}

I feel like all of my posts lately have started with "sorry for the lack of posts", but I really do have a good excuse....sort of. I'm up in Boise, Idaho for work. Jealous? I know! ;) I haven't posted because I didn't bring my camera and because I am more of a visual person, I like to include pictures in my posts. I did however take pictures with my cell phone camera, but I realized I can't get them off of the phone until I get home and use one of those cords you plug into your phone & the computer. Yes, I know they offer the internet on cell phone now days, and I could email the pictures from my phone, but I'm fighting the urge to get too far into technology these days, so right now, texting & your average phone call is as technologically advanced as my phone gets! We don't even have picture messaging! Don't look at me like I'm driving a horse and buggy people, but I still believe in good, old fashioned letter writing and mailing the letters! *gasp!* Speaking of that, I think I want to start a letter writing club or something so I can get actual mail and not just junk, bills and the occasional value pack of local coupons offering carpet cleaning for only $100 for 3 rooms! Sounds like I need a pen pal!

Anyway, I'm up in Boise and I'm so ready to get home! I have enjoyed working up here this week and I've even found some funky antique & thrift shops on my drives after work (I'll share the treasures I found later when I can upload pictures), but it's the time after dinner that I get so lonely! I hate sitting in my hotel room and I think I've only turned the tv on twice. Once before I went to bed last night and once this morning to watch the news as I was getting ready. I got a pedicure last night which was interesting to say the least (that's a story in itself!), and tonight I went to a movie by myself to pass the time. I saw The Proposal and although I got a few weird looks from the gal selling me a "single ticket", I honestly don't mind going to the movies by myself. There is something empowering about sitting there, enjoying a bag of popcorn while getting totally engaged in a movie! I laughed out loud, and most of the time I was the only one laughing! I'm sure the ladies behind me were thinking, "Who is this gal? Laughing so hard at this movie she's at by herself!" but I didn't care. I fly home tomorrow and I can't wait to see my husband and my cats! I'm looking forward to this weekend to spend time with him, my family, and to enjoy the holiday season!

I'll post more tomorrow about my adventures and my finds!

P.S. I'd love to take a little 2 day thrift store/antique shopping weekend trip with some gals this summer! We need to drive or rent a van that can haul some stuff back home, but wouldn't it be fun to drive up to Idaho or Wyoming and hit up some great, funky stores on the way? Let me know if you're interested!!!