happy halloween!!

i'm still MIA as we still haven't bothered to get internet at the new house yet....soon, i hope!

happy halloween, everyone!  i hope your day is sugar-filled and spooky!

inspiration workshop with Gussy Sews: RED!

today over at the inspiration workshop with gussy, we're talking about

RED!

red is one of my very favorite colors.  i, personally, think there isn't anyone in the world that looks bad in red!  red is sexy, smart, calm, warm, trendy and yet trend enduring all at the same time.

seriously, it's the perfect color.

here are some pretties from pinterest that i was feeling this morning...

Source: ruemag.com via Catie on Pinterest

i believe i let it slip in my last post that we are moving to the country in a couple of tickets.  if you follow me on facebook or twitter, you've seen the photos to prove it.  (don't worry, i'll be uploading to the ol' blog soon enough.)  our new place has not one, but TWO red barns!  and i'm super excited about them both.

side note: when i told my brother about our new place and told him there were two barns, he says to me, "the only thing better than one barn is two barns, i always say."

he doesn't get it.  he's a city boy.

Source: google.com via Catie on Pinterest

i'm a little angry at pinterest for not being around from the fall of 2009 while i was planning my wedding.  i'd like a do-over wedding, so i can wear this dress.  mmmmkay?  'kay.

Source: bhg.com via Catie on Pinterest

hello, entirely red accessorized kitchen with awesome dark grey cabinets and beautiful red cherry wallpaper, i'm catie.  have we met?  heck yes we have...in my dreams.

Source: 6thstreetdesignschool.blogspot.com via Catie on Pinterest

gorgeous flowers.  just be glad i didn't add a gratuitous wedding shot in here.  you know i wanted to...

Source: daintysquid.blogspot.com via Catie on Pinterest

i know summer is almost over, but i LOOOOOVE this outfit.

Source: thecoolhunter.net via Catie on Pinterest

i am, quite literally, the biggest fan of fall.  ever.  hands down.

Source: pooryou.com.au via Catie on Pinterest

i have this weird hair color that's not really brunette, not really blonde and not really red.  it's like this odd mix of color and i don't really hate it, but i wouldn't really say that i love it either.  i'm "meh" about it.  kyle calls me a "ginger" all the time, but that's more due to the translucent skin and freckles than flaming red hair.  how beautiful is this girl's hair?  simply gorgeous.  i want, i want!  i totally want to dye my hair now.

here's another fun story: not that long ago, kyle was staring at me as i was getting ready to go somewhere.  i think it was a wedding, but i honestly don't remember.  i was straightening my hair and he just kept looking at me.  i finally turned to him and asked him what exactly was it he was looking at and he goes, "you know, i really prefer blondes, but your hair color, whatever that is, is my second favorite color."

um...thanks?

and, just for the record, i'll post a picture of the most accurate picture of my true hair color.  it's horrible of me, but let's focus on the hair, people.

my friend, ty, and i on fake patty's day, which i blogged a bit about here in march.  so let's not judge people, it's just not nice.  and it was 10 am and i had been drinking for 4 hours already.

note the start of ty's green mustache.  green beer = green mustaches.

i love being irish.  or fake irish.

whatever.

join us for the party!

hello lovelies!

sorry.  thank you for hanging in there with me.

i know it's been a month...i'm exhausted just THINKING about what i've done in the last 30 days or so.

so much to tell you....let's see...where to start.

- went to my sister-in-law's baby shower
- went out to our farm to work on the trailer (and other things)
- signed the paperwork for our new house
- became an AUNT AND UNCLE to sweet audrey alexandra
- i studied for and took my licensure exam (ugh...)
- kyle traveled to mexico for work, again
- i helped with a baby shower for a coworker
- i helped with an IIDA event, Like TOTALLY Rad 80s Trivia! (so fun)
- started painting the new house
- started packing (ok, so only like five boxes, but still...we've started) and moving cars out to the new house
- bought a new (to us) car

so, basically this post just turned into a bunch of excuses on why i haven't posted in a while...

we'll talk soon!

five friday faves

first off, i'd like to wish my little brother a very happy 24th birthday!

jeez, topher, you sure are getting old!

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this week i'd like to share five gorgeous outfits from around the interwebs...i have to admit, i'm usually more for comfort over fashion, but lately i've been trying to step out of my comfort (har har) zone and embrace different styles.

Source: spoilsofwear.com via Catie on Pinterest

i've been drying to find a maxi that doesn't show my arms.  i have serious issue with showing my arms, especially at work for some reason.  i think the jacket gives lightweight structure and coverage that i've been looking for.

Source: kendieveryday.blogspot.com via Catie on Pinterest

i see these skirts all the time while i'm out thrifting.  i call them "grandma skirts."  BUT, when paired with a bright pink shirt like kendi does, it goes from grandma to GLAM!  i LOOOOVE this outfit!

Source: polyvore.com via Catie on Pinterest

this is a typical fall outfit for me, but i love how the sparkly earrings and a great necklace could make this go from a fall shopping outfit to a night out with the hubs.

Source: us.coast-stores.com via Catie on Pinterest

wow.  that's all i have to say.  it's GREY and it has POLKA DOTS and it has RUFFLES!!!  pretty much my dream dress.

Source: None via Catie on Pinterest

this one is so far out of my comfort zone, i really don't even know why i pinned it.  i think if i could swap out the striped skirt for a solid, i could try to pull this one off.  that is, if kyle promises not to tease me for pulling my socks up over the rim of my boots.  ;)

inspiration workshop with Gussy Sews

THE PROMPT

To keep with the outdoor theme {I'm soaking in every minute while the favorable weather allows), this week's prompt is THE FRONT PORCH. And really, this can be interpreted in any way... Including {but not limited to} front and back PORCHES, decks, patios, outdoor dining spaces, etc. Maybe you have a PORCH off your condo that is divine, or you have a neighbor with a space you drool over. Or, is there a rickety old porch that you find charming. Or a meal you'd like to enjoy on a FRONT PORCH.The possibilities are endless!

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OOOOH!  the front porch!  one of my favorite places to be!  a front porch was a must have for kyle and i when we were looking for the house we currently live in.  i think it will be a must have in any house that we live in, ever.  there is just something so blissfully MIDWEST about a front porch.  (yes, i just made the midwest into an adjective, what are you gonna do about it?)

here's a few images of my dream front porch...

Source: houseplanshomeplansfloorplans.com via Catie on Pinterest

i love all the detailing of this house, and how the front porch wraps most of the way around.

Source: livinginlilly.tumblr.com via Catie on Pinterest

the fans and the painted ceiling...SWOON!  the trim is also beautiful.

Source: hookedonhouses.net via Catie on Pinterest

another fun wrap around.  (can you tell i have a soft spot for craftsman styled homes?)

Source: savedbythesouthernbelle.tumblr.com via Catie on Pinterest

i'd love to have a porch swing.  the lights fixtures are amazing!

Source: brylanehome.com via Catie on Pinterest

we have a couple of these chairs that we've inherited from various places...we might need to get a couple of cans of spray paint out!

what does YOUR dream front porch look like?  is it in the city?  the country?  or would you rather sit in the driveway and take in the sun full blast?

throwback tuesday: week 1

since i have been participating in Gussy's Inspiration Workshop and that falls on thursdays...i've decided to switch my throwback thursday's to throwback tuesday's.

you don't mind, do you?  ;)

i cleaned up my studio/craft room on saturday and finally found a place to put my little Singer.

i found this when my mom and dad moved last may and chuckled.  my grandmother taught me to piece a quilt on this little thing.  (it REALLY does work!)  i wish i would have put my other sewing machine into the picture for some scale...this one is only about 5 inches tall.  i have no idea where the rest of the parts are...i'll have to keep an eye out for replacement parts when i'm thrifting.

this one's a keeper.

inspiration workshop with Gussy Sews

THE PROMPT

To honor our warm weather {for now}, I've been enjoying day dreaming about outdoor GARDENS, which is this week's prompt. I love my terrarium and my potted plants, but am also intrigued with lush GARDENS, with vegetables, wildflowers and green foliage. I am also inspired with unique container GARDENS that use unusual containers {like a local cafe, Wise Acres, decorates with on an inside wall}, often repurposed, to grow plants. Do you have a GARDEN you are proud of? Do you have a friend with a green thumb? Or a neighbor? Remember, this doesn't need to be a GARDEN you've harvested or even have taken a picture of {just be sure to give proper photo credit if the photo is not yours}. This is your interpretation of the GARDEN prompt.

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i'm going to be honest with you here, i don't think i can "honor" the warm weather any longer.  i'm just too sick of it.  i know come february, when it's -17 degrees outside, i'm going to be wishing for it, but right now i want to smack mother nature for such crap weather.

sighhhhh.....

rant over.

moving on...my garden has gone to complete crap this year.  i planted the normal cucumbers and tomatoes and herbs and they ALL DIED, because it was way too hot.  i mean, i watered them, but that didn't really seem to help at all.  i have a few flowers let, but not many and our grass has pretty much all but dried out.  it's brown.  and crunchy.

BUT this is supposed to be a HAPPY post, so today i want to talk about my dream garden.  i'd love to have an amazingly huge, lush garden, full of veggies, potatoes and fresh herbs!  fresh herbs are my favorite!  last year, i had a pretty awesome dill plant going on and i branched out on a lot of dishes to include dill, even some fish, which i had never used it for.

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of course, the mother of all things crafty, home, garden and cooking is THE martha stewart.  and martha has the mother of all gardens!  now, i don't love martha's business tactics, or, honestly, her personality.  but, i do believe that you have to admit it when people are pretty awesome at stuff, and she didn't get all the way up there without a little bit of talent.  i read this article a while back on apartment therapy (side note, how awesome is apartment therapy?  i just love it.) and they linked to a garden tour of martha's.  i can't find the original link anymore, but i DID find this awesome tour of martha's culinary herb garden and boy-oh-boy is it fantastically amazing!!  there's a few images below for you, but you really should go take the tour if you are interested at all.  beautiful!

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