Homespun Forte

{Industrial Elegance}

aimee — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 21:39:46 +0000

One of my best friends, Lindye Galloway Events asked me to design a table scape with her for the Utterly Engaged New Years party. Sixteen teams contested in the “modern” themed challenge. Each team was given a budget of $150 for the centerpiece which had to be made of industrial materials, paper or fabric as an alternative to a floral arrangement. We decided on a modern glam theme & used industrial & paper materials to accomplish our look. Each paper shade was constructed with chicken wire, spray painted parchment paper & lots of patience!

The incredibly talented Jasmine Star photographed all of the table scapes entered in the Utterly Engaged design challenge. You can view the other tables and event happenings featured in the Utterly Engaged magazine. We were so honored to receive editor’s choice in their latest issue! To read more & view our DIY video click HERE

We had a blast doing the challenge together & walked away feeling like our time & efforts paid off! A huge thank you to our amazing husbands Troy & Winn for their love and support!

Photos below by Troy Grover Photography

Below: our inspiration board featuring the fabulous Gwen Sefani & this great DIY paper wreath!

A Lucky Breakfast

aimee — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 00:48:17 +0000

In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, I thought I would share a fun cereal idea to start off your day! A great way to celebrate the Irish & surprise your family, roommates, or maybe just yourself!!

What you’ll need : Milk, Green food coloring, lucky charms. cereal bowl + spoon

Add a few drops of green food coloring to your milk & stir

Once you have your green milk, pour over your lucky charms :)

Yuuuum. Now, do an Irish jig :) Haha

In Search for the Perfect Bag

aimee — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 19:00:30 +0000

After my trip to the Temecula Vineyards I realized my NEED for a camera bag! My camera gets HEAVY! I have had my eye on a few bags for some time now, the Kelly Moore bag & Epiphanie bags – but I am having a hard time deciding!! They are both so cute – I would probably wear either as a purse! Then of course there are the ShootSac bags – which seem a little more standard to me. What are your thoughts? Even if it’s just based off of looks I’d love to hear your opinion!!

Above: the Kelly Moore Bag

Above : Epiphanie Bags (My favorite the “Lola”)

The Shootsac Bags

California Vineyards

aimee — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 02:52:27 +0000

This weekend I had the honor of celebrating my friend Alyssa’s upcoming wedding! For her bachelorette party we took an old fashioned trolly ride through the Temecula vineyards. It was my first time wine tasting & it was such an experience!! Though it was a little cold and rainy, the afternoon skies cleared & we enjoyed some breathtaking views. Here are a couple of pics from our trip! More to come :)

DIY Sushi!!

aimee — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 20:17:26 +0000

For our wedding, my sister-in-law gave us all the necessities for rolling our own sushi, complete with recipe cards & a shopping list! As avid sushi lovers, we were so excited to try it out! We decided it would be fun to attempt this adventure with our friends & fellow photographers the Frenzels. Here are a couple photos of all the ingredients we used! We had such a fun time & are excited to roll again – but next time with bandannas like the pro’s :)

What You Make of it.

aimee — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 18:18:46 +0000

I had such a fun time being home in Washington! Time of relaxing, working out, drinking smoothies, watching movies & of course shopping. While walking around our favorite Macy’s, I couldn’t help but notice most of the same employees still working there. The women at the make-up counters still looking beautiful doing the same thing day-in and day-out. I commented about it to my mom, and she said “well it’s all what you make of it.”

I think that phrase really sank in when I watched the latest show of Undercover Boss. A sweet man named Igor from Kazakhstan worked the night delivery shift for 7 Eleven. He didn’t get to spend much time with his wife and kids because of his work hours, but he still claimed to be living the American dream. He made his job look fun & valuable. At one point he said that if he had arms big enough he would hug his delivery truck because he loved it so much. How cute is that? He melted my heart with that line! When asked by 7 Elevens CEO how he had so much energy & vigor for life, he said that it was because he was so full of gratitude. WOW! What a perspective.

Another inspiring story this quote brings to mind comes from a show I recently watched on dairy farming. I know, dairy farming! Haha. On our honeymoon, Troy & I decided to take it easy & watch some TV. We became glued to a translated documentary of an Asian dairy farmer who strongly believed in providing pastures to grass feed his cows. This farmer loved his cows SO much and it was evident in how he cared for them. He said that when his cows were able to graze in the fields, they would have smiles on their faces & their moo’s sounded happy. Though he didn’t lead a life of greatness by today’s standards, he was one of the most fulfilled people I have ever seen. He did what he loved – well.

(johnlund.com)

Whether you work at a Macy’s cosmetics counter, drive a delivery truck during the night shift, or raise dairy cows, your fulfillment lies in ‘what you make of it.’ You can create value in what you do by making an impact – whether it be big or small.

One eyed Leo.

aimee — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 20:30:24 +0000

My heart is so big for all of the little rescue dogs on AdoptAPet.com! I have SO much compassion for animals & I hope someday I can be a rescuer. Above is an adorable puppy Poodle mix I found on their website named Leo. He has such a touching survival story & I hope that someone can open their home to him! For more info on this little guy, click HERE. If you have an adoption story to share, or know of a great pet adoption site, leave me a comment! I’d love to hear from you :)

Shiela’s Phrases to Live by

aimee — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 21:29:04 +0000

For Wednesday, I thought we could all use some encouraging words. No matter how many times I watch this, it’s just so funny!! So “Keep on keepin on!”

My Yay Nays

aimee — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 08:15:44 +0000

Yay! I have decided to add a new segment to my blog called ‘My Yay Nays.’ Whenever I am looking for advice on new things to try, I ask my friends…tonight at Target was a perfect example. I was browsing the cosmetic section trying to find a new eye-lash curler. My sister came cruising down the same isle & said that she was looking for a new one too. Then she told me about a recent blog post that she read about a girl who found THE perfect eyelash curler. Just one curl & you’re set. Without even knowing the girl, I was convinced. Sometimes when you don’t know what you’re looking for, any direction is helpful! My friends have joked that I can sell anything. When I LOVE something, anything…I can start the commercial rolling…even without a camera crew. Below are a few of my recent favorite things…and a few of my not so favorites!1. YAY to COCONUT CREME Coffee-Mate Creamer : I must admit. I LOVE waking up this! Coffee is a staple in my house every morning…but the thing that really gets me hopping out of bed is Coconut creamer. If you love your creamer as much as you love your coffee…than this one is for you! A MUST try. I feel like I passed over this one quite a few times in the grocery store, debating….do coconuts and coffee beans really go together?? After you try a sip you’ll be convinced!

2. YAY to EASY TONE Reebok Shoes : After the holidays and weeks of cold weather, I really had a hard time getting myself to the gym. I finally reached that point where I knew I needed to get back into my work-out groove. I had seen these shoes advertised on TV – how they supposedly sculpt your body with every step. I was a little skeptical…but thought that the idea was SO tempting! I tried them on in the store & decided to give them a try. Although I wouldn’t call myself “toned” just yet, they definitely give me that extra bounce in my step & motivation to go to the gym! These shoes get two thumbs up!!

3. YAY to REVITALIZING SEA CLEANSE by Spa Technologies : Around this time last year, my skin was experiencing a lot of breakouts. An esthetician advised me to try the Revitalizing Sea Cleanse to clear up my skin. It contains an algae that draws out the impurities in your skin. At first it may bring impurities to the surface, but then becomes your best friend! I look forward to washing my face with this everyday! It smells really natural & leaves your skin feeling cool & clean :)

1. NAY to $25 Massages : After talking about our need for a massage, my friend Lydia invited me to the spa for a special offer she had received. A sixty-minute full body massage for $25 dollars…who can beat that!? We are both suckers for deals, so we booked our appointment & eagerly drove over to the “spa.” The quotation marks are necessary there because this so called “spa” was hardly such. Don’t get me wrong, the front desk was beautiful with light colors and serene music…but the rest was a little…uh odd. We were directed to wait in a strange area with over a dozen leather recliners & the smell of microwaved lunches. Then the man at the front desk told us that we should probably change into their ‘gowns’ before the massage. Confused, we changed into fuchsia terry-cloth gowns in a tiny bathroom located in the back. From there, we were walked to our room where we sat in leather recliner chairs. At this point I had no idea what to expect. The massage started, and I started thinking…maybe it will feel good when he moves to a different spot. But as the minutes ticked away, I was tensing up more and more. It felt like an Asian man jabbing his bony fingers in my back & pounding on me like a piece of clay. I kept thinking, “Am I just being a baby?” “Maybe Lydia got the better therapist.” Then towards the end of the massage, Lydia said “Soft!” “Softer please!” Ah what a relief! What I had been thinking all along & she finally broke the silence. Though the end of the massage was more bearable…we left feeling like we had been beaten up. I have never felt so un-relaxed as I had at this place. The pink gowns, the smell of hot lunch, the recliner chairs, & the Asian man pounding on my back…everything about that place was…an experience! Hands down, this place deserves a NAY. We have decided to continue on in our search for a reasonable massage place in Orange County :)

2. NAY to People who don’t “Hope the Best”: Ever since I started dating Troy, one of his strongest convictions has been to “hope the best” for people. He has really shown me what is means to be for each other. Over time, this conviction of his has resonated with me. Stepping into the blog world has opened my eyes to a whole new critical / competitive realm. It can be discouraging at times to see people be so selfish. Those that want to rise to the top by criticizing others and not hoping the best for them. I can be guilty of this at times. It takes a lot to wish well to someone you don’t like…or give them the benefit of growth and change. People who don’t hope the best for others deserve a big NAY NAY. To read more about Troy’s encouraging thoughts about this click HERE.

A Travel’n Love

aimee — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 06:33:51 +0000

This is a very special Valentines Day for me! Me and my sister flew up to Washington and surprised my mom for her Birthday. She was born on Valentines Day, which happens to be the same day as her dad’s Birthday! How special can you get?? Our husbands made a huge sacrifice by letting us go – so we are going to pay them back BIG TIME!

Here are a couple of Valentine cards I crafted up this February with my paper treasures. I gave them a little photo shoot in my old Mustang while up here in the Emerald state! Sending you & those close to me much LOVE today.