Furlough Friday

Tomorrow is a furlough day for me. No money for tomorrow, but that’s okay. I can make the best of it :)

 

Shopping with Sarah

I’m starting a new feature to help brighten up Mondays for everyone. I plan to spotlight a new online store every week. (But I have had to change the name due to copyright issues---eek!)

I stumbled across this little gem of a site the other day and I can’t wait to tell you about it! Up Country is an adorable pet accessories shop that I could easily drop a ton of money in if I had it!

Skie would be the cutest and best accessorized dog in town if I had it my way. Justin just let me buy her first “girly” (and by girly I mean non-camoflaged or blue) collar in November. Let me rephrase: “let” is a funny word-I didn’t need permission, but he would gripe about the pink collars I cooed about in PetSmart. One day I stood my ground, simply bought her a cute pink and zebra striped collar, came home and put it on her. So there, ugly-camo-collar-that-should-be-on-a-boy-dog!

Back to Up Country, check out just a sampling of the cute collars they have for sale:

Klassy with a “K”

Our Assistant Dean at work today sent two of the administrative assistants to an appreciation luncheon for Administrative Professionals’ Day. I had a blast last year and this year was just as fun. There was a fashion show, door prizes, a motivational speaker, and the funniest emcee ever!

As we were leaving, each of us received a long stemmed red rose. When we got back to the office, Leanne, my counterpart dug out two plastic Mountain Dew bottles from the recycling bin so our flowers would stay fresh. Wow…you know we’re country, right? Really though—it’s an admirable trait to make due with what you have—and to do your little part in reduce, reuse and recycle :)

**The best part? When she told me she had to look over the ones that had “dip” in them. Gross…boys! Don’t put those kind in the recycling bin!

Life is good…

I spent a good two hours outside the other day doing this:

with her:

Skie loves to just hang out—she’s like a 165 pound shadow if Justin and I are in the yard.

Lately, due to book fund budgetary constraints, I have found myself reading more and more from the public library. I can almost always tear through a novel in less than a week. Since I graduated college, I find myself reading for pleasure more infrequently. I decided it was time to stop watching so much TV and get back to books.

Here is what I have read so far in the past month:

   Deep Dish & The Fixer Upper: Mary Kay Andrews

 

Mary Kay Andrews is one of my favorite authors. She really can’t write books fast enough for me! She lives in Atlanta and her books are based in Georgia. You think you’re the big time when you read her latest book, The Fixer Upper, and know where Alma, Georgia is!!!!!

She’s even got a little cottage on Tybee Island called the Breeze Inn that you can rent—too cool!

Suck Your Stomach In and Put Some Color On: Written by Shellie Tomlinson

Literally had me laughing out loud as I made my way through it! It is a great read for not only Southern women, but for all women who had a strong-willed Mama who raised them up right!

Go out—read a good book! Send me your recommendations for what should be next!

A Public Service Announcement for my Blogger friends:

Hello, lovelies! I have such sweet readers and I love, love, L-O-V-E the supportive and super nice comments each of you leave me!

I have one teeny, tiny little request.

Please pretty please with a cherry on top, visit Bumpkin on a Swing’s post about including your email address in your Blogger profile (and her whole blog—it’s awesome!).

I realize some of you may think I’m rude for not commenting back on some earlier posts, but I just now realized you’re not getting them! When comments hit my inbox, I hit reply and it goes to…GASP…noreply@blogger.com.

YIKES!

I think if we all pass this along, commenting and replying might be a bit easier across the blogging world!

Thanks a ton!

Shopping with Sarah

Welcome to Shop it to Me Monday! (But I have had to change the name due to copyright issues---eek!)I plan to spotlight a new online store every week.

This week I wanted to share about my favorite drinkwear, Tervis Tumblers. I didn’t realize that there were people out there who had never heard of them, so here’s a crash course. They are hands down the BEST tumblers you will ever buy! They don’t sweat at all! They keep your hot drinks hot and your cold drinks cold. The best part? They come with a LIFETIME warranty!

 

Here are a few of the cute designs I have my eye on for the summer time. Of course, they would be great any time of the year for a little pick-me up!

   

Of course, I need to get one from my alma mater, Georgia Southern.

And one from my awesome employer.

Dishing It

Serenity Now is hosting a blog round up here and I couldn’t resist joining in on the fun!

Here is a little bit about me!

~How long have you been blogging?

I have only actively blogged for a little over a year now.

~Why did you start blogging?

I have read and followed blogs for about 4 or 5 years now. I started out reading big name blogs but I soon found myself drifting towards the everyday, crafty ladies that turned out to be just like me (only more awesome) and thought people might want to hear what I had to add, too!

~Tell me about your blog's title. Why did you choose it?

The women in my family are crazy about Southern Belle tees and my favorite one was

I had a high school teacher (my best and favorite one actually) that always said, “Hey, shug.” She was a proper southern lady with a bit of flair and independence that I like to pattern myself after.

~What do you blog about?

I am a random, all-over-the-place blogger. I talk about craft projects I’m taking on, my favorite stores and online shops, and my life in general.

~What is your favorite thing about blogging?

The great readers that actually read and care about what I have to say. I might only have about 10 or 20 out there, but they are such a great support system. Blogging also gives me a creative outlet and a fun way to express myself. Not to mention, I have learned all kinds of cool coding and website development tricks in trying to spiff up my little piece of the web :)

~If you had to choose one famous person to become your blog's next devoted reader, who would you pick?

Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman.

She’s a powerhouse in the blogging world, but she seems like she’d be an awesome friend! If she became devoted to my blog, that might up my chances to get invited to the lodge for some of that awesome cooking.

~What's the funniest comment you've ever received on a blog post?

Hmmm…one of my blogging friends told me not to worry about snoring because “[She] saws logs all the time and her husband hasn’t left her yet”

Oh Dollar Tree!

How do I love thee..let me count the ways!

I know I must sound like a broken record to my friends and family, but if they’re in need for some cheap-o stuff for crafts and parties, I send them right to Dollar Tree. I know some of you aren’t blessed with as great a Dollar Tree as Tifton, GA (the biggest and best I have come across in a 200 mile radius!), but give it a chance and you’ll find there are some things to be found there than come in quite handy in a pinch!

First off, let me shout out to Dollar Store Crafts, who I’ve mentioned before. They find the cutest things to create by using stuff from dollar stores, particularly Dollar Tree.

I’ve used clear plates just like these to decoupage for my kitchen. They turned out like this.

You can also find great cheap wreath forms for a plethora of wreaths like this and Spanish moss for your many crafty endeavors there. I have seen several ladies tackle these little “silver” platters with chalkboard paint and make cute mini chalkboards for their kids like this.

  

DT is also a great source for glassware. It’s so easy to pick up five or ten vases for a quirky little arrangement for your bathroom or as a centerpiece for a shower you’re hosting. Just stick some blooms picked from your yard and you have instant decor! I am picking up some of these margarita glasses and using them for favors for a Monograms and Margaritas shower I’ll be hosting later this year.

       

Another great thing about DT: They have started carrying acrylic serving ware! These are great when you need a nice little platter to deliver cookies on or to carry to various events where there’s a strong possibility of not receiving your dish back.   

The last thing I want to spotlight are these little round restaurant to-go containers. They come in handy when my sisters are heading back to college and want to take some of Mama’s home cooking with them. They rarely remember to bring the Tupperware back to Mama and that stuff gets expensive! This is a great alternative and they come in 3- or 4-packs.

Take a quick trip to your Dollar Tree if you haven’t and get creative! You never know what you can do for a buck!

*I am not being compensated by DT to write this post. I just love their stuff and want to share my thoughts :)