Treasure Hunting // Craigslist Finds

I found some great things this week! Take a look and let us know if you get any!

dresser // $200

antique iron bed // $150

king size headboard // $150

patio set // $80

antique dresser // $375

coffee table and end tables // $275

table and chairs // $300

bistro set // $60

antique dresser // $200

Coffe Table with Italian Marble inserts // $90

Organize Your Life // Fun with Cardigan Empire

If you attended the hello there! house Event last October, you were probably lucky enough to take Reachel Bagley's Charming Closets class.

Whether or not you took her class, you MUST mosey on over to her blog, Cardigan Empire and follow her regiment for organizing not only your closet, but developing a method for your own personal style.

She has so may great tips on how to dress the body you have, what is age and lifestyle appropriate, how to wear the latest trends....the list goes on and on! And she is just such a peach and we love her oh so much- you MUST add her to your daily blog reads and become inspired to make yourself and your closet organized, chic, and fabulous! 

Kitchen Revival // Above The Cabinets

Above the kitchen cabinets. It's a hard space to fill. Cabinets to the ceiling is ideal, but most of us can't afford to get exactly what we want! I have always struggled with what to do above cabinets because in my mind I don't want to draw too much attention up there. It's not the focal point of the kitchen. There is so much that goes on in a kitchen that I never want that space to make the room look cluttered. Here are some great examples of how to decorate that area that compliments the rest of what you have going on.

Baskets! I love how they look like they have just been thrown up there. And the tone on tone quality compliments other features in the room instead of demanding your eye to focus on the baskets.

via elements of style

Framed are work. It looks clean and I like it. It's a great way to fill up a larger amount of space.

via sas interiors

Or giant letter! This is fun because you can say anything and the concept could fit any decor style depending what your letters are made of. Color and pattern are endless.

via the handmade home

This just might be my favorite. Wallpaper. Well done.

via la maison d'anna g.

Tone on tone look again. I do love this. I like that all the color is on the counter and neutrals are above.

via emily a. clark

I love how simple this one is but yet has a great impact.

via decor pad

I feel better already! Time to tackle all that useless space and make it pretty!

The Watson Abode // Our Spring Garden (and baby cantaloupes!)

I was so excited to see Kelly's tips on growing your own cantaloupes yesterday, I just had to share how our baby cantaloupe plants are doing!

We planted ours two weeks ago and they are doing so great! As usual, we got our compost from Singh Farms that we mixed into the AZ clay that was in our 6 foot long beds and we companion planted the cantaloupes with zucchini, sunflowers, oregano, and marigolds.

We also have watermelons & honeydews in the ground, and they are just creeping up. It's so exciting and I can't wait to see them flourish and spread all over!

In other garden news, we have tomatillos and tomatoes flowering, and have just gotten our first snap pea flowers coming up in a round tree bed. 

Also in the tree bed we have potatoes and petunias growing along with the snap peas that are spreading like wildfire! 

Garden Seeds // Hello Cantaloupe!

I always think hopeful thoughts when I make the first cut into a melon.  Over the years, I still can't tell with consistent accuracy when a melon is ripe in the store.  Shake it, smell it, squeeze it - whatever your method, there is no guarantee.

Last year, my friend Allyce gave me cantaloupe seeds she saved from a fantastic tasting melon she bought at the store.  I planted them and, wow! this was great stuff.  I saved the seeds from the ones I grew and am planting them today. 

Cantaloupe need rich soil, heavy water, 6-8 hours of sunlight and lots of room to grow.  The ideal time to plant these seeds is March 1 - April 15th so find a spot and gets seeds in soon. 

Here is my chosen area for cantaloupe.  The vine will encroach into the asparagus fern but do no harm.  With a few trellises, the vine will climb as well.

You can plant cantaloupe in a pot too.  Just make sure it is a big pot and you water it well.  Pots dry out faster than a raised bed so be diligent in your watering.  I had a vine in a pot last spring that was a volunteer from my compost.  It produced very well.

Cantaloupe take 80-120 days to harvest so be patient and label your plant.  Note: this is a 40-day range so labelling will eliminate some, but not all, of the guessing game of when to harvest.  

Once harvested, be sure to save the rind for your compost.  Cut it into 1x1" pieces for ideal decomposition size.  Compost the seeds as well and you're likely to get volunteers in the future.

Handmade Brilliance { local } // The Lonely Heart

I am touched by Brandee's story of how her amazing business, The Lonley Heart, came to be. What an inspiration! I am so happy for the success she has been blessed with but I am not surprised at all! Check out her beautiful items centered around love.

1. Tell us your story. What brought you to now?

I love business, I love stress & I love keeping busy. I have worked for a corporation, I have worked for my husband in his business & I have owned a few businesses myself over the years, but my true passion is being a stay home mom who home schools.

When the recession hit, it went through like a tornado in our home. Everything was in crumbles & turned upside down. My husband was laid off from his trade and the market became non-existent in our quad-city area. Facing the realities of the possibility of losing our home and all the dreams we had built over the past twenty plus years was truly scary! So I said a huge prayer to God and opened a shop on Etsy.

I started “The Lonely Heart” with nothing but a few hearts, salvaged wood, and some barbed wire. God has been so faithful to us! The Lonely Heart took off. I had so much business coming in that I had to have my daughter, Aumber, start helping me. We are now looking at ways to expand our line to support the both of us.

2. Outside of creating, what do you do?

I am a full time wife, mommy of five girls, I love gardening and living a country lifestyle.

Aumber is finishing up her last year of high school. She has an incredible eye for photography & is a wonderful horse artist. My hope is she will pursue these two incredible gifts.

3. What’s your secret in life? Any words to live by? 

Secret to life...love your family & make the most of your time. Both Aumber & I are homebodies and are always looking to find some zany fun in the everyday things. We truly enjoy each other's company, so it makes for a great day pretty much everyday!

4. Where do you sell your items? 

Our items are only available on Etsy. We discovered Etsy a few years back & just love it! It has a wonderful community & just so many talented artists. Etsy is perfect for my lifestyle as I am a homeschooling mom of four. I can teach school & work the hours I choose, which is a huge blessing.

5. Give a shout-out to a fellow handmade artist like yourself!

TheFunkiLittleFrog  // Her hand painted signs are gorgeous, I covet her steady hand!

LukeLampCo  // Luke's lamps are awesome & his storytelling skills are to die for!

TheHealthyNut  // Ashley's granola is second to none, she takes granola to a whole new level!

pattycakeprimitives  // I love Cheryl's work, her dolls & animals each have their own personality!

estatesaletreasures  // Vikki has the best stash, at the best price for the collage artist & she is such an amazing person!

crimsonclover  // Two amazing gifted women in their art.

Organize Your Life // Sew Organized

If you love to sew odds are you have a storage problem. Truth be told, I had a fabric storage problem before I took on sewing. I love fabric. Guilty. Sometimes we need to see some inspiration and good ideas to motivate us to get organized! Here are some keepers.

I am in love with this. I currently have all my fabric in a closet hanging up with clothes hangers. However, if I really have a fabric in bulk then those little hangers can't hold the weight. Perfect solution! And pretty!

via danielle thompson

Follow the link below the picture to get her downloadable labels shown here! Perfect for remnants.

via just something i made

Hanging fabric is genious.

via grosgrain

Love the color organization.

via little green notebook

Just right for small spaces! Love this.

via whipstitch sewing

Keep fabric for a project together using clasp hangers and chalkboard paint for labeling!

via craftzine

This sewing space is amazing. Love the crates turned into sewing shelves.

via ucreate

Pull out drawers! Yes, please.

via bhg

What a fun way to store your laces and trims!

via funky junk interiors

Darling! I really need to do this. Follow the link for a tutorial!

via grey luster girl

Fabric on mini-bolts! Great way to recycle old boxes and makes storing fabric so easy.

via smashed peas and carrots

Organize! Make it pretty! You can do it!!