A year of practice and about a minute of dancing . . . lots of looking cute though!

Ellie started taking dance lessons this year when she was about two and a half. It started off with the older girls in her class (4-5 year olds) leading her around the classroom like their cute little doll. Finally she started to get the hang of it and started to actually dance. She loves it! She usually belts out the songs and wildly swings her leg as she works her big step - heel, toe, heel, toe, heel, toe.

They started practicing for the recital in about January on their routine to "There ain't nobody here but us chickens" . I really thought that we would need to not attend the recital and that it was too much for a three year old. However, it soon became apparent that she loved it and that she wanted to be a part of the big number! Even that night I thought that she might be a little too scared . . . not at all! She sat backstage with all the other girls and took it all in. She shared her lip gloss and proudly applied it before going on stage. It was a riot. When I had to leave and she left to actually go onstage, she seemed a little nervous, but held the helpers hand and went right out. We were sitting on the floor right in front of the stage, so she relaxed as soon as she saw us. Max gave her the thumbs up and she blew us kisses, yelled "hi, mommy" and was good to go. (over 500 tickets were sold for the event and it is held in a big auditorium.

Here are the photos, you can see she started off looking around and then began to dance.

Backstage waiting for their turn to dance

Was checking out the stage when they first came onstage

then looked out at all the people, over 500 tickets were sold and it was pretty full, scary for a three year old . . . then she saw us right in front of the stage on the floor watching and you could see the tension leave her . . .

Maggie and Ellie danced next to one another and they spent a lot of time smiling to each other and looking around at the start of the routine

her favorite move . . . heel, toe, heel, toe, heel, toe!

then some loud kicks (she loves this part!)

a little attitude and sass!

the big finish, they crouch down and then jump up with hands in the air (didn't get that shot!)

thrilled to have flowers from her brothers - loved them

leaving with their new umbrellas

sam didn't want to leave all the girls and loved playing with his umbrella

Max was very sweet to his sister. He told her how great she did, how pretty she looked and that he loved her. It was a proud moment for her to get her brother's thumbs up!

waiting for Sam who was having lots of fun in the puddles and rain! This was Steve's first big day off the couch and he was sporting some stylish footwear - lose the black sock grandpa!

Damp and Tired, but a fun day!

Exhausted from being in the rain all day at an Arts Festival, but it was worth it, our best show ever sales wise and we still have all day Sunday! We sold a crazy amount of scrabble tile pendants

and sterling silver hand stamped initials and design discs.

Peace signs seemed to be our most popular item today and we never seem to make enough of them. Even though neither Darcy and I have enough energy to get out the hammer and silver tools tonight . . . we might have to get busy.

I brought my camera today, but sadly didn't bring a jacket or umbrella so I did not get out of our booth to take photos of other artists creations. Will have to remedy that on Sunday.

Here are a few of our newer items that are super cute and so fun to wear. (I guess I am a little biased, these also sold great today)

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We are selling the sterling silver hammered disc and chain for $25

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Keishe pearl wire wrapped on a sterling silver chain $25

Lots of wire wrapped semi-precious stones we just got from India. I think my favorite is the rutilated quartz with the wire wrapping. The mossy amethyst is a close second!

Our scrabble tile pendants on a sterling silver chain for $15 have become a favorite in the area for teacher's gifts.

I will be glazing new tiles for the coming weeks since we have sold out of most of our inventory and need to restock at the local stores that have been carrying our stuff.

Love my Birthday Presents . . . I really know what I like

After 43 years of life, I think I have this whole birthday thing down. Surround yourself with people you love and pick out your own presents! Don't get me wrong, who doesn't love an ugly t-shirt bedazzled with "World's Greatest Mom" (how could you ever let the kids pick that one out?), but this year I did the picking and wow, I LOVE everything!

So here is a little eye candy of my fabric shopping spree and while I was at the garden center, my dear husband did have a surprise waiting for me . . . check out this lovely arrangement! I guess he listens to me after all these years, "isn't it great that peonies, hydrangeas and all my favorite english garden flowers are in bloom for my birthday" - you have come along way from the grocery store spray painted carnations!

Thanks Steve!

Tufted Tweets - even better in person. I am ordering more for sure!

Such cute bikes!

Some boy stuff

Some lovelies I have had in my cart at Pink Chalk forever!

Some Kona and Linen

Our little tap dancing star from the big show last night (post to come on this soon, want to remember all the funny things she did and said)

Leaving the performance, Steve is doing great without the crutches

all three kids got new umbrella's and boots, they were thrilled for the rain last night

Feeling the LOVE . . . pretty lucky huh?

Have you ever had that feeling that you were about to open up a package and it was gonna be good. really, really good. I rushed in the door this afternoon with a million things on the to do list . . . and then I saw the package, a package from Portugal. I knew I just hit the pillow swap lottery!

Then I opened up this little beauty.

Jealous? Really, really jealous, right! I told you, I knew it was going to be good, really, really GOOD.

Everything about this is awesome. The color, the shape, the colors, the tree, the faces . . . the thought and work that went into this pillow is amazing. Look at the faces and the tree . . .

then when I think I took it all in, I look again and see another detail that just makes me smile.

and just like my favorite movie line, "you had me at hello" this pillow stole my heart when upon opening the first thing I saw was the back. Amazing, huh!

Isabel, thank you so much. The one word of Portuguese I know sums this pillow up for me - Maravilhoso. I think maybe I need to say it three times . . . maravilhoso, maravilhoso, maravilhoso.

Check out all the amazing work of Isabel on her flickr stream here.

Her etsy shop is here.

Her blog is here.

Facebook fan page is here.