Needed:
One Amanda Clone. Preferably one who loves to clean the house, discipline the children and maintain a modicum of order and sensibility. Needs to be subject to #1 Amanda's wishes and commands. Needs to be willing to play the "spaceship" game with Bubbalu and must display a thorough knowledge of sharpie removal tactics. Those frightened by loud noises or easily overwhelmed need not apply.
Does this little angel scare you?
Please don't apply.
Does this well-mannered child make you cringe?
Please don't apply.
All those left, please call 1-800-Mama-needs-a-clone...
A
**Didja know you can find me HERE on Facebook? True story. Become a fan (or like) and get the latest Vintage Dutch Girl posts in your news feed. Oh, and it'll make my day! **
I could be mistaken, but I'm fairly certain I saw these Poppy Crops on a thrift store rack a few weeks ago:
And these Bed of Roses Crops on the same rack:
I KNEW I should have bought them and sold em on Ebay.
Doh! Mental head slap...
A
I did it again.
I found another amazing piece of furniture that would look so very grand in my bland home:
Normally people buy boring furniture and buy sassy pillows, but NO, this Battersea Sofette in Bloom is the embodiment of sassy. It needs a few boring pillows to normalize and stabalize it. I'm thinking it would look great in my living room opposite of my chocolate brown couch.
Too bad it's just a tad out of my budget...
A
**Didja know you can find me HERE on Facebook? True story. Become a fan (or like) and get the latest Vintage Dutch Girl posts in your news feed. Oh, and it'll make my day! **
How do you score on the Maternity SATs? I did quite well...and laughed myself off my chair. Missy is hilarious, I have a feeling you'll love her as much as I do.
This tank top is BEGGING to be knocked off. It's next up on my list:
And that's all I've got.
I normally can't seem to drag myself out of bed before seven but today I set foot into Walmart at 6:00. Yes, A.M. As in, the MORNING. Yep, I'm still stunned I did that. And tired.
I don't fully awaken until about 8:30 - 9:00 ish so I really don't recall all of the shopping and aisle scanning that I accomplished before 8:30.
And with a pleased sigh and a smile about my productive day I'm heading off to bed. Well, as soon as I finish my oreo mint blizzard.
Nighty night...
A
**Didja know you can find me HERE on Facebook? True story. Become a fan (or like) and get the latest Vintage Dutch Girl posts in your news feed. Oh, and it'll make my day! **
WOW! Check you all out!
Can I just say? It was a JOY to read each and every comment (42 so far!) from the last post. It was so nice to meet so many readers! I KNEW you were out there :) It makes me want to blog more. To ask more questions. To post more projects. To ask for advice. To create more. Ya know, the usual.
I've been under the weather with a nasty summer sinus cold/infection thingy....yet I spent all my down time on the couch thinking up new sewing patterns, decor dreams and painting ideas. So while my body relaxed, my mind did NOT.
I often have a hard time shutting down the crafty side of my brain. It often goes 40 miles per minute (MPM) and doesn't stop when I need to rest. Walking through a fabric store or garage sale ramps it up to 100 - 200 miles MPM on an average day. If someone is with me? 300 MPM, easy.
Funny thing is, I often have more ideas for other people than for myself. My sweet sister-in-law recently asked me about a bathroom decor sprucing up and freshening and the ideas came ZING! ZING! ZING! at me.
Yet for myself? I don't know.
I have a hard time committing to new paint. To a new style. To a new shower curtain for goodness sake.
Yet when I hesitate, and hem and haw, then see my ideas elsewhere or other fabulous rooms that I KNOW I could have created I am frustrated with that uncertainty and inability to commit.
While blowing my nose for the hundredth time yesterday I started thinking about what holds me back.
1. I'm a penny-pincher. And I love to do things thriftily. It if looks great, was also a craft project and is inexpensive I'll get more joy out of it than running into Target and filling my cart with instant-decor items. Not that Target isn't wonderful, don't get me wrong. I just need more of myself infused into my home.
2. We bought a BRAND new home. A brand new, already painted "interior design" colors. Colors that I don't particularly care for. Including a dark yellow beige that is EVERYWHERE.... even the ceilings. If I change a wall color I also have to paint the ceiling....HUGE project. I need to get over that.
3. I don't trust my instincts. I tend to hold back when I think something will look good. I want other's approval first. A social green light so to speak. Not necessary.
4. I get intimidated. Hello design blogs, HGTV and magazines. A woman can have body image issues thanks in large part to media involvement. So too my home decor image issue is also media related. Media can be inspiring. Intriguing. Just don't let it intimidate you.
There. Those are some of the reasons why I am design/decor constipated. Think they make a anti- decor design constipation pill? Nope, didn't think so.
OK, big breath.
Time to start implementing my ideas.
Watch out, it's bound to get messy...
A
**Didja know you can find me HERE on Facebook? True story. Become a fan (or like) and get the latest Vintage Dutch Girl posts in your news feed. Oh, and it'll make my day! **
I got together with a bunch of girlfriends to celebrate a dear friend's milestone birthday. (Really now, DO go on over to her lovely, hilarious and down-to-earth blog and shower her with some birthday blessings!)
Amongst the many many many things we chatted about, blogging, stalking and blog commenting was a huge topic of conversation being that the majority of the gals are bloghappy.
I can't tell you HOW MANY TIMES I've been out and about getting groceries, picking up more Mr. Clean Magic Erasers or getting a Costco iced mocha to bump into someone who references something from my blog.
My usual reply is an astonished: "Oh!?! You read my blog!?! I had NO idea!"
Really now, it shouldn't be like that.
I LOVE to blog. I love to tell stories about my kids, share my crafts and sewing ideas and connect with friends, family and the blogisphere.
However, sometimes I feel a bit sad putting myself out there and getting a big fat zero response. Doesn't exactly encourage further posting. I know my site traffic...I have about a 2.5% response rate. Yes, that is a two followed by a POINT then a five. Not twenty five.
So, let's just put this out there: Why are people afraid to comment? What holds them back???
Ya know, way back when I started Vintage Dutch Girl I stalked a TON of blogs before timidly submitting my first comment. Then, once I had "declared" myself, it was a BLAST having conversations and building relationships with people I'd never met. Guess what? My bloggy buddies are very dear to me. They make me laugh. They make me smile. They give great advice. Most of them know RIGHT WHERE I AM...because they are RIGHT THERE TOO.
Think about it from this perspective. Say we are at a cocktail party (ya know, because I attend so very many cocktail parties that I am sick and tired of wearing my stunning LBB -Little black dress- and conversing with adults...) and we happen to be introduced:
"Hi, my name is Amanda, how are you?"
-----silence-----
"I'm married to my high school sweetie and have two vivacious children that constantly provide me with laughter and help to teach me the fruits of the Spirit. Do you have any children?"
-----silence-----
"My hobbies are crafting, sewing, painting...basically anything that involves creativity. I love to look at new fashion and try to recreate it by refashioning, altering and embellishing clothing. What about you???"
-----(crickets chirping)-----
You get the picture. So here's what I have to say:
1. Comments make my day. I love to hear what folks have to say. The more comments/response/feedback comes in the more I am inspired and encouraged to continue to blog. Comments make me smile. :) See? Big smile!
2. If you've been stalking me for awhile, say HI! I like to meet people! Let's chat, m'kay? I'm really not scary. Promise. Unless I'm dieting and you have Tostitos Queso cheese and tortilla chips. Then I'll straight-up right hook ya, grab the food and run.
3. YES, I realize that sometimes commenting just isn't possible. I fall off the commenting wagon frequently. Usually because I'm holding a 3yr old away from (once again) hitting the master power switch and zapping my computer or trying to convince the 18 month old that USB cables are NOT an item that we need to be chewing on.
So, whatcha got to say? I know you have thoughts bubbling inside. Share a word or two...
A
Please feel free to link/reference/quote this post on your blog...all I ask is that you link appropriately back to VintageDutchGirl.
**Didja know you can find me HERE on Facebook? True story. Become a fan (or like) and get the latest Vintage Dutch Girl posts in your news feed. Oh, and it'll make my day! **
I LOVE me some Mod Cloth. Talk about inspirational. Not to mention unique. I usually get the sewing itchies after I check out their new dress listings.
For Example, check out this ruffled, pleated goodness:
and this delicious one:
Doesn't this one beg for a summer picnic shindig? Complete with a lattice-topped home made cherry pie and some sassy bright red shoes:
And then there's my all time fave, the Pin-up Dress:
But I must admit I burst out laughing when I saw this one. Yes, I REALIZE it's supposed to be the number Eighty Eight...but....to me it looks like a ta-ta level determiner shirt.
Meaning, you put the shirt on and can easily decide where your ta-ta's are typically residing in their current state:
Easily determine if your ta-ta's are in the 1, 2, 3, or 4 level bracket... or(gasp!) beyond the brackets altogether.
Yup, thinking I'm OK not knowing which bracket level my ta-ta's are in...
A
**Didja know you can find me HERE on Facebook? True story. Become a fan (or like) and get the latest Vintage Dutch Girl posts in your news feed. Oh, and it'll make my day! **
