Review: The Language of Flowers

The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



I loved this book. I didn't even mean to start reading it as I was in the middle of another book, but I picked it up and started reading and could not put it down for 2 days. It felt like sitting down into a nice warm bubble bath.

 It's about a girl who was orphaned at birth. She was an angry child who was moved from home to home.  She ends up in group homes and then ages out of the system to become homeless at 18 years old. In one of her homes, where she came closest to having a real mother, she learns the Victorian meanings of flowers. This knowledge is a gift she is able to hold onto through her tumultuous life, and it's allowed to flourish and survive. And eventually, it makes her into an impressive florist.

A lot of horrible things happen to her, and she makes mistakes.  Then, she makes what she thinks is a a really big mistake, but you see her grow up into a woman along the way of this mistake.

I loved the story. It was very sad at times, but I loved seeing this unloved and lost girl who had noting grow into something amazing. I loved all the Victorian meanings of flowers, and it really put a fire under me to learn this lost art.

Ugh, I just realized the one thing I really want to talk about I can't. I don't want to spoil the story. I'll say this -- I just had a really difficult time reading during her big, big, big mistake. It's something that the author described so perfectly through the eyes of this new role -- the enormity of this responsibility, of this nourishment -- I just felt her pain and overwhelming feelings of not feeling like she can go on and do this because I've been through something very similar. I didn't want to read at that point and really considered stopping the book, even though I loved it, because I just didn't want to remember those feelings of being a failure.



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Rootin' Tootin Cowboy Pants - Make Your Own!

I found this fabric at Joann's forever ago in hopes of making these adorable little cowboy pants when Mr E was just a toddler.  It fell to the depths of my fabric stash until last night when I rediscovered it.  It's this super soft baby wale cord with these adorable appliqued felt stars.  The first time I saw it told me it was going to end up as cowboy pants with fringe, and sure enough, it did.  I had just enough for a pair of toddler boy shorts and a pair of baby pants. 

Apart from the wrinkles because they had been in my bag, they came out just as I envisioned, so I wanted to share.  So cute and colorful!  I wish I had bought more of that fabric....sigh.  Don't you hate that? You find a fabric you absolutely LOVE in your stash and it's just a yard or two and you bought it like a million years ago? 

I just took both pairs over to my booth at the Creative Collective in Fort Worth today.  They are finally having a grand opening next weekend on the 16th from 10 AM to 2 PM.  If you are local to the DFW area, there is going to be food and music and lots of giveaways.


These was made from my Boutique Cowboy Pants tutorial.  Check it out to make your little boy (or girl!) a pair. 

See You Later Alligator - bag toppers - so cute!!

I came across this blog, Anything But Perfect, with these bag toppers a few days ago and thought they were too adorable to pass up.  I thought they would be perfect for Em, who is in middle school, to give to her friends.  So tonight, we made these bags of goodies for her friends as tomorrow is the last day of school.

Albertson's was having a a "crazy 8" sale with tons of stuff just 88 cents.  One of the things was their store brand bags of candy as well as Haribo gummi bears.  So, we used about 1/2 a bag a candy each.  These were made with regular sandwich bags.  I printed the toppers on cardstock, then folded the sandwich bags over at the top and stapled.  Em's excited about giving them out tomorrow. 


{Free Printable} End of School Year Treat Bag Toppers

FYI, if you live in the DFW area and have an Albertson's, they have all kinds of goodies for 88 cents. I got 3 containers of fresh blackberries, a few Rock Star energy drinks, and a few Honest Tea all for just 88 cents each.  The sale started today and goes through next Tuesday.

Review: The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb

The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb by Melanie Benjamin

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Good, not great. I thought I would like this book. I tried to, but I think I just didn't like the main character. Wow, if she was like that in real life, what an annoying self centered person. As I got further and further into the book, I just disliked her even more. She was all about self promotion, even marrying her husband for self promotion and nothing more. What a horrible life to keep even your husband at arm's length. It was an interesting tale, but one I really had to force myself to read, which is not like me at all.



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I'm totally famous, y'all!

Every time I go to Walmart, Miss Em and I run over to the bakery to take pictures from the plethora of cake wrecks.  There are just so many that we try to be rather covert about taking the pictures so no one figures out what we're doing.  I'm not sure who they have decorating cakes, but there is a very high chance you'll find some crazy stuff over at my local Walmart bakery.

I was just checking the blogs I read every day and what do I see?  This picture I sent into Cake Wrecks a few months ago.  I'm like totally famous now ;)

I thought maybe they didn't like my pictures or maybe my idea of a cake wreck wasn't the same as theirs or maybe I wasn't cool enough.  Cuz, I've sent in quite a few and have never seen a single one of mine posted, and I read their blog every day.  Then, I find this today!  Now, I've been validated for all my hard work in search of hideous cake wrecks.  (And, I think at any moment now I'm going to end up writing a huge run-on sentence.)

Subway Art Teacher Gift & A Creepy Piano

I saw this absolutely adorable subway art sign for a teacher's gift over at My Sister's Suitcase. They have several really great ideas for teachers, so head on over there and check them out. I think they originally got the idea from eighteen25, which is where you can print the awesome sign, among other cool stuff too!

 I decided the subway art was the perfect gift for my son's teacher, so I made one today for him to bring to school tomorrow.  I really like how it came out.  I used the idea of gluing a pencil to the top and tied it off with ribbon.  I also picked up a neat little plate holder from Goodwill that I'm sending along with the sign.

I had two purposes for going to Goodwill.  The first one was that plate holder you can see holding the sign above.  The second was I saw bikes there for $15.95/each earlier this week.  So, hubby and I got two really nice bikes.  However....if we could have gotten our rears up earlier in the day, we could have gotten them for 50% off of that price  We are such losers.  I thought the email said the sale was all day, but unfortunately the 50% off everything at Goodwill sale ended at noon.  We finally made it at 2 pm. 

Oh yes, I just remembered the rest of the title is "a creepy piano."  So, here it is in all its former glory.  An orange dreamsicle colored child's piano.  Think of all the creepy music in a horror movie, especially one that could possible involve possessed dolls...yep, that's what it sounds like.  Awesome, huh? My 2 year old LOVES it!

I'm definitely refinishing it.  Already have the sand paper ready.  But, I'm debating on selling it at The TipToe Fairy boutique or keeping it for my two year old and my husband, the lover of all things musical no matter how creepy.  I made him drive up to Goodwill to take the bikes home in his car, and when I showed him the piano, he literally could not keep his hands off it.  What a weirdo, lol. 

On a side note to all the Texans, who the heck are you voting for in the primary?  I can't stand anybody. I'm not even sure if I'm going to the Democratic or Republican primary tomorrow.