Through the past four seasons, Homespun Forte has come full circle. Started while planning my wedding, I have married the man of my dreams, taken on a new photography career, decorated my house, re-decorated my house, and started the new show Suddenly Inspired – all on Homespun Forte! With all of this change that has taken place – I have decided it’s time to move with it! Time to combine forces with my man, Troy Grover.

Check out our new blog Keeping Up With The Grovers and be sure to subscribe to see our latest photo shoots & homespun posts by me! All of the same good stuff combined on one blog!

If this is your first visit to Homespun Forte – please scroll around! Then click HERE to check out the latest and greatest!

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Now that I am back from the honeymoon I have been working on getting the house put together! It has been a big organizing job, but very rewarding. It is actually starting to look like and feel more like our home. One thing that has been tricky is decorating the walls. I don’t like things to look too cluttery – but I also don’t want it to look too boring and cold. I just decided to put up my absolute favorite things, and I think I’m likin it!

Here are some wall ideas I found online – what makes your walls homey?

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A couple of days before we left for our honeymoon, Troy and I tried this cute little place off of the Pacific Coast Highway called  A Market. It has fresh coffee, pastries, bread, box lunches, as well as boutique wines, cheeses, specialty grocery items and gifts. It has THE cutest atmosphere. If you are ever in Newport Beach you have to stop in this place – even if it’s for a latte and AMAZING chocolate chip cookie!

I promise I didn’t pose the guy in the window! He really was reading the paper at this cute place!

Baked goods to die for! I love that the Market looks like a modern kitchen.

Yes, they do cater! What a yummy idea.

More grocery goods & words describing how fresh and yummy they are!

Fun place to meet a friend for coffee :)

Don’t you love the decor! Merry Christmas A Market! Excited you are in my neighborhood!

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In just two short weeks I am going to be a “Grover”. Changing my name hasn’t set in until recently. I’ve heard that the whole name change situation can be difficult for some women – almost like a new identity. I will miss being a Tangeman – such a strong German last name. But, being a Grover will be an exciting new adventure. And hey, my kids won’t be standing at the back of the line with arranged alphabetically :) Random fact : G is the seventh letter in the alphabet. 7 is a fun number.

When I first heard Troy’s last name, I couldn’t get away from the Sesame Street image in my mind. In Germany, the character “Grover” is called “Grobi.” Hehe, glad we are getting married in the US!

…But then I thought of the ever so trendy “Grove” in Los Angeles. I could definitely see myself as a “Grove – R”

The happening Grove.

My sister thinks my new last name sounds like an anthropologie garden name  {aimee grover}. I like this idea!

Below,  a garden-esq font I found.

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“I see the king of glory
Coming on the clouds with fire…

The whole earth shakes
The whole earth shakes

I see his love and mercy
Washing over all our sin
The people sing
The people sing

[Chorus]
Hosanna
Hosanna
Hosanna in the highest [x2]

I see a generation
Rising up to take their place

With selfless faith
With selfless faith

I see a near revival
Stirring as we pray and seek

We’re on our knees
We’re on our knees

[Chorus]

Heal my heart and make it clean
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love like you have loved me

Break my heart from what breaks yours

Everything I am for your kingdoms cause
As I go from nothing to
Eternity

Hosanna. Hillsong United.

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A hand stamp I found that reminds me of the Disneyland hand stamp – the same off-beat yellow.

Gasoline. I have heard it supposedly kills a few brain cells, but I can’t help taking a whiff when I fill up my tank.

I LOVE love love the smell of sunscreen. It makes me feel like I am at the beach. I found a perfume by Bobby Brown called “Beach” that smells just like it – all year round!

Maybe it just reminds me of days up at Forest Home Camp, but I like the smell of bug spray. I think a few other people might too – why else would they come in the form of a candle now-a-days?

To save myself from sounding like too much of a weirdo, I had to share a more normal scent that I love! Anything that smells like cozy fall is right up my alley – but I must say Yankee’s Spiced Pumpkin got it right on!

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Here are a few pictures of my amazing shower!

The end.

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While walking around down-town Omaha with Troy’s family, we found an amazing thrift store that has been open since 1978. If you could get past the cigarett smell & put your cat allergies on the back burner, this place was covered wall to wall & ceiling to ceiling in treasures. Antique mirrors, Titanic looking old frames, vintage cameras with their origional boxes, & a basement filled wtih clothes, hats, gloves, unique pieces of jewerly, fabric, lace, buttons, you name it!  I could have spent weeks rummaging through that store. The best part was – everything was beyond reasonable & negotiable. Typically when you walk in to an “antique” or “vintage” labeled store, you can expect the owners to price items as such, but in Second Chance you walk away feeling like you got a steal! If you are in Omaha’s Old Market area, this is a must stop shop!

The Upstairs portion of Second Chance. Old books, chandeliers, paintings, dishes & more…

“Lady Vintage” looking ever so stylish, leading the way down stairs…

A peek at the basement, where vintage heaven begins!

A few fun necklaces!

I loved their authentic glove collection! Below, just a handful of the gloves they had (no pun intended)

If I would have had room in my suitcase, this bird cage would have been in it! I believe it was only $39 & in great shape!

I think I mentioned the kitty cats…here is one of four that reside in Second Chance.

Me! After a successful trip to Second Chance! I found several very special items that will be revealed after the wedding!

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Last week, I had my friend Lindye Galloway over to help me with wedding crafts. She is a very creative & inspiring friend, the same one in fact who created that amazing suitcase chair I recently featured. I had seen some images online of a Strawberry Farms wedding, where the couple made their initials out of twigs & hung them on the barn doors. I loved that touch & was inspired to create some of my own! I bought a few bundles of twigs, some wire, and red berries (or do-dads as I would call them), & we got to work! Lindye was really the craftsman behind this project & I absolutely love they way the turned out!

Here is the photo by Leigh Miller that inspired this twiggy fun.

Some more twig inspiring photos! Below, a fabulous natural twig basket.

Twig jewelry display stand.

Dream twig-house bedroom

Shabby twig chandelier

Vase of mod twigs

“Merci” spelled out in a twig branch design

A twig inspired tea-cup from Anthropologie.

A “do-it-yourself” picture frame

A few more…love these textures!

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Exciting! I am honored to be the first “Bride in the City” featured on Style Unveiled! The new segment follows brides through the planning process up to the big day. Heather, the senior editor, contacted me shortly after I started my blog, to document this special time. To learn everything and more “unveiled” about our journey so far, check out the Lounge.

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