My tummy is so thankful

Life is busy. Each of us runs our own race.  Work.  Family.  Obligations.  Trying to figure out just what it is we were made for.  At many points of your life it may not seem so obvious.  But then unexpectedly, someone, something, gets you to stop just long enough to take a breath and remember what is important.

Frequently for me, it's Carla.  Carla is our business partner.  Spiritual leader I call her.  When my anxiety gets the best of me and I feel like I'm not good enough, I can't get it all done, or I feel paralyzed from pressure (right?  we all get that sometimes?  tell me I'm not alone here)  Carla comes to the rescue - she is quick to pull out scripture that hits home.  I'll read her emails and they'll say, "We need to talk about the profit and loss plan, period.  Next sentence, God loves you, he will never abandon you...and beautiful scripture and discussion about a particular verse.  Her emails make me cry.  Sometimes because of the deadlines for the business...LOL...mostly because they keep me grounded in keeping my eye on the true prize that we have in Christ.

I have come to realize that many of my close friends do that for me...they are really good at lifting me spiritually when I need it.  I feel like such a slug because I have been so "needy" these last months...ok year?  Maybe?  Challenging ourselves, dealing with punches that roll our way, pulling ourselves up...I wonder if I give back as much as I receive.  I want to be better at it...and I feel like sometimes I'm so wrapped up in ME that I'm missing out.  I'm going to focus my prayers there for awhile...

Carla, aka the gardeners Aunt, is the bestest cook eva!  She showed up at our house for one of our meetings with this...In this cooler, in the boxes, bags that accompanied it contained precut, precooked, prepared meals for lunch, dinner and snacks for an entire week.  I know, spoiled aren't we?!  Check out the menu she brought!

Can you see it?  Seriously spoiled are we!

You should know something about me.  I love to eat.  Good drinks.  Delicious foods.  It's by far my favorite form of entertainment.  I love to go out to eat at good restaurants.  I love going to parties.  I love potlucks.  I especially love when a gourmet cook brings me a weeks worth of dinner...made with love.

It was a great week...

Giveaway?  Oh yes, we do have a winner to announce.  Mr. Random Number Generator...#30, thepurplecloth!

Thanks Chantelle for sharing your talents!

{ps forgot to mention!  I have some cute fall and halloween shirts up in the shop...limited supply.  A few more sizes may be available but mention "fat and happy" in the comment section of your purchase and receive your shipping costs refunded! }

xoxo,

Trish

Pouring. Down. Rain. Miracle.

Would you guess that as this shot was taken, the rain...started...to...POUR!  BUCKETS!  I can't believe how awesome this came out for as hard as it was raining!  We were a bit under the trees so we got lucky!  LOVE IT!

This is my Pocket Full of Posies banner and I love how cute our little model looks with her fairy wings enjoying our tea party we set up.

Before the photo shoot for our patterns and pending Quilt Market...we spent time sprucing up the playhouse my Dad and husband built.  Dills Nursery loaned us some fabulous plants and it looked stunning!  

The gardener (aka my husband) really out did himself!  He repainted everything, powerwashed all over the place, hauled plants, watched kids...super Dad for sure!

I've been writing writing writing working on text for the patterns and really, not much else.  I'm kinda feeling out of sorts because my sewing machine broke as I finished up the last sample for the photo shoot.  And it's been down for more than a week now.  Can't remember the last time I stayed away from my machine that long...

So I've started daydreaming about Halloween already...I know, I know.  It's my favorite holiday...I think I might start decorating in a couple of weeks so I can really enjoy my entire vintage collection I've amassed over the years.  I've started browsing on etsy...found this fun little item!

I'm gonna have some serious fun watching what pops on etsy over the next few weeks.  I seriously LOVE vintage Halloween decor!  Fun!

Do you have a favorite holiday you like to decorate for?

Don't forget - the Chantelle Nicole Giveaway ends August 31st!  You still have time to get in and explore all the wonderful jewelry items she creates!

xoxo,

Trish

Chantelle Nicole Designs Giveaway

{sponsored giveaway} Meet the beautiful and beautifully blessed with talent, Chantelle.  She joined us on the Two Peas blog in August as a blog sponsor and I'm so glad she did...because her products are amazing!

Chantelle designs handstamped gorgeous jewelry.  Stuff that is pretty enough to wear for a night out and sweet and sassy enough to pair with your favorite jeans and t-shirt.

One of my favs is the leather cuff bracelet.  I think I'd have my hubby and I's anniversary date stamped on it...as a reminder of our family foundation.  {have I ever told you we were married on Valentines Day?  Sweet, I know...and easy to remember!}

I love this necklace too...too cute to wear your kids on your neck.  Or your dogs, whatever babies you happen to have!  I just think these are stinking adorable!

I was so drawn to this locket.  I love the rose but then browsing her blog, gasp, I found THIS!

Something new she has coming out...don't you love the little rose with it?  I'm not one to shy away from color, ahem, clearly...so I love the pop of color the rose adds!

Chantelle is super busy with a new house she and her hubby just bought...and they have even started a new blog to record their renovations adventure on the over 100 year old - arts and crafts style? - home.  It's a fabulous little nest and it will be really exciting to see how it all transforms.

Well, lucky you today!  Chantelle has been sweet enough to offer our Two Peas readers a chance at a $40 gift certificate to her sweet little shop.

To enter is simple:

1) Go and visit Chantelle Nicole Designs shop and come back here and tell us how you would spend the $40 gift certificate!  1 entry

2) Follow Chantelle on her blog then come back here and leave a comment telling us you have done so.  1 entry

3) Because I LOVE her leather cuffs...tell us, what would YOU have stamped on your bracelet.  1 entry

3 chances - super easy!  This giveaway will be open until Tuesday, August 31st at midnight, EST.  I will choose a winner via random.org and post the winner after Tuesday.  Ok, on your mark, get set...go give Chantelle Nicole Designs some love!!

Thanks Chantelle and best wishes for success in all you do!

xoxo,

Trish

{A New Orleans Summer Wedding...}

Several months back, I was neck deep in making dresses for a summer wedding in New Orleans.  Remember this? Just the other day, the bride sent me a few snapshots.  I was so excited to see the dresses on the big day - I think they fit perfectly for a summer wedding in New Orleans, don't you think so?

These dresses are Pink Fig patterns and we adapted them to work for the wedding by changing up the hemlines and adding some additional details, etc.  I think they worked really well for the occasion and the best thing of all...they can be worn again and again for church and other special occasions.

I had intended to announce our  Lisa Leonard giveaway winner yesterday...but as life would have it..."something came up".  Last week, I got horribly sick for a few days with a nasty awful cold something or other.  Then one of the peas got sick.  And we both got better somewhere around Monday.  On Monday, Sprout fell off of a dining room chair.  Which seemed not to be a big deal but turns out she may have had a toddler fracture...and so I spent time running her around to the doctors office and then over for scans.  Came back negative.  Good news.  Then the other pea came down sick.  Then we had a swim team breakfast, a final practice, our swim team Championships, then I got sick again with fever for two days, then Sprout got a fever and they thought maybe her leg was infected so I spent last night with her at the hospital while that was all checked out.  Today...today all of us are well.  Sprout's leg is fine, not great, but the second round of scans still showed negative fractures so not sure why she is still fussing over it.  She still has a fever but she seems to be doing much better.  And the peas are better.  And life is almost normal here.  Whatever that is.

Breath...ok, and so that's why I didn't get everything updated.  Old Mr. Random Number Generator...choose #8, Celeste.  Congrats Celeste!  Have fun shopping over at Lisa Leonard Designs.  And thank you to everyone else who participated.

And THANK YOU Lori, for featuring my pattern on your blog this week. LOVE HAZEL - go share some love with her, please?!

xoxo,

Trish

Lisa Leonard Designs Giveaway

{this post sponsored by Lisa Leonard Designs} Have you had the pleasure of meeting Lisa Leonard?

"My desire is to create simple, lovely pieces that can be worn with jeans or your little black dress.  I want each piece to be meaningful.  Our custom jewelry is hand-stamped with your kids’ names or a special phrase or verse.  I love to touch my necklace throughout the day and reflect on my husband and my sweet boys."

Lisa is the designer of all things shiny and fabulous...seriously, you've most likely seen her gorgeous jewelry before across blogland.  Can you hear the swooning?

Lisa has been generous enough to offer one of our Two Peas readers at $50 gift certificate for her shop!  Yikes!  How awesome is that?!

Here's whatcha gotta do to enter the giveaway:  THE GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED

1)  Visit Lisa's shop and take a look around.  Come back here and leave a comment on your favorite item.  (one entry)

2)  Tweet about this giveaway THEN come back here and leave a separate comment that you have done so.  (one entry)

3)  Blog about this giveaway THEN come back here and leave 3 separate (but duplicate, yes, that's ok) comments with link. (two entries)

4)  Follow my blog and leave a comment that you have done so (one entry)

5)  Fan my Facebook page at Two Peas in a Pod Homegrown Designs (one entry)

WOW!  That's six possible entries for this giveaway!  Good luck!

{This giveaway will close on Friday, July 23rd at midnight EST.   A winner will be chosen via random.org and announced on Saturday, July 24th. }