Weekend Edition

I finally remembered to take a belly shot while it was light outside, I wasn't wearing a two day old pony tail, and had someone around (Brett) to take it. This is me carrying around 4.5 months of baby. Here's me carrying around 4.5 months of Sebastian. I think I look less scared this time.

This is a classic moment that I'm sure I'll cherish forever. Someone pass him a tissue. I have been able to get back to the YMCA these last few weeks but today has been the first day that I've noticed people respond to my belly with stares AND smiles instead of just stares. I was on the elliptical machine in front of three chatty ladies when I decided it was time to take a break and stretch. I guess turning sideways and walking past them got their attention because it suddenly got quiet and when I found my stretching space behind their treadmills, I could hear them discussing some friends who were also having babies. It was nice to know it was finally obvious to complete strangers.

Speaking of babies...I betcha didn't know my Mother-in-law has a vintage Etsy shop! This sweet aqua stroller can be found here at MadeYaLook along with this vintage party dress. She used to shop for me when I had PonyParty but now I'm the one putting things in my basket for her.

Her sister has two Etsy shops that you may need to visit this weekend. One is called Earresistible and showcases handmade jewelry pieces from vintage finds. These beauties are my favorite!

Another one of my favorites from her shop.

Her second shop, UnfinishedBusiness, is full of vintage supplies from her stash. She also sells these beautifully arranged gift toppers. She's always had the prettiest presents at Christmas time so it was only natural that she start sharing her knack for dressing them up with others.


Whether you're hitting the garage sales or cleaning out your own closets, I hope you find some time to do something that makes you happy. Cute baby gear post coming soon!

Oh, Hello.

My husband is such a catch that I decided to have him mounted to the wall. GROSS! He did chase Sebastian around his room making growling sounds behind this deer head. Sebastian told him where to shove it. Politely, of course.

For those of you who don't search eBay regularly for stuffed wildlife, one of these suckers might run anywhere between $150-$375 in good condition and mounted. How do I know this and why do I have one? Because it's SO trendy. Didn't you know? JUST KIDDING.

My brother has been looking for one to flesh out his new bachelor pad (mind the pun) and most have been a little out of his price range. When we were browsing a flea market in southern Missouri last weekend I walked into a stall with this little fella priced at a nice $65.00. After a few phone calls and a picture via camera phone, we were on our way home with a mounted deer head resting in our back seat next to our precious son. He pet it a lot. Every time Brett or I would turn to check our blind spots for a lane change those big eyes would be staring back at us. I'm still not used to seeing it in our house which means Joseph will be getting it sooner than he thought.

The thrift stores and flea markets have been generous lately. I'm much more reserved with what I bring home since Pony Party has been shut down for the season but it's been a little more exciting when I do find something just for me. It's my own kind of hunting, I suppose. This travel case might become my new weekend bag but in the mean time it is holding the yarn I found this afternoon.

It's all acrylic but seems to be on the high end quality-wise and much softer than I have ever found before. I got lucky finding such beautiful colors for such a great price. Oh, and that's the reverse side of my fabulous new duvet!

This is vintage fabric from a flea market in Rogersville, MO. It looks SO similar to some fabric I have from Heather Bailey. It's probably the most beautiful vintage fabric I've ever come across so I'm saving it for something special.

I also found a half apron in great shape that matched my kitchen colors, a set of pillow cases with a tatted edge (Cheryl!), and three plastic doilies. They are great for adding texture to art journal pages. (Margot, I'm saving you one.)

We found Sebastian a set of orange, plastic cups last weekend and a vintage espresso percolator and sifter today. He loves to play kitchen whenever he finds stuff like this in a flea market so I've been collecting a few things that won't easily break so that when he gets his play kitchen in July, it'll be decked out in vintage ware and ready to use. I've seen some fabulous DIY play kitchens on OhDeedoh this year so I'm hoping we can rig something up that is not only durable and practical but easy to look at.


The chicken that I picked up at the farmer's market this morning has been butchered sufficiently and is simmering in my mother's chicken and rice recipe. Brett has been given the task of de-gizzarding the carcass and turning it into chicken soup tomorrow. A pregnant nose can only handle so much and I'm not sure I want to test my gag reflex any longer.

p.s. My husband is halfway through the first book in the Twilight series. I know. He's a catch.

Meet Ashley Ann

Ashley and I went to the same college in central Oklahoma and ran in similar circles, though I was a few years younger. A mutual friend pointed me to her blog a few weeks back thinking I might appreciate a post on sewing dresses out of pillow cases for little girls in Africa and I was pleased to discover a whole new side to this girl! I spent about an hour going through previous posts and came away feeling energized about being a mother, learning new skills, and including others in the process.

I'll save all of the good stuff for you to peruse on your own time but below are a few of my favorite posts from Ashley's blog.

The post that had me hooked.

A peek into her photography classes.

Her fantastic home remodel with touches of mid-century and DIY that make my heart melt.

One of her three adorable sons. Ashley and her husband are expecting their fourth child and first daughter sometime soon!


Quick and easy concoctions for those short on time or patience. That's me!

She's got a beautiful spirit and a tremendous amount of love for her family. I hope you enjoy her blog as much as I did!

Flea market finds from this weekend's unexpected trip to the southern edge of Missouri coming soon. Don't let me forget to tell you about the deer head sitting in my dining room. I'm hoping it will be too dark to see it when I make my 3:00 a.m. trip to the potty.

Sending Them Out

image from The Purl Bee

If you've signed up for the newest summer online art journal class, you should have received an e-mail this morning with your blog information and password. You'll find the first post with a little response section at the bottom as well as a class supply list that you can work on gathering before we start up on June 1st.

I'm in the process of sending out the information for each individual purchase of the other three online art journal classes so if you're biting your nails, it's on its way!! If you still don't have your information by 6 p.m. on Monday, the 25th, write to me with your current e-mail address and we'll get it sorted. racheldenbow (at) gmail (dot) com.

Thanks again and Happy Memorial Day!

Come On In!

I've long been a fan of decor8's Flickr feed for its fantastic sampling of interior design, etsy finds, indie artist features and even crafty ideas. You may already be familiar with Holly Becker of decor8 but if you're not you're in for a treat. She's a maven of beautiful things! She was kind enough to feature my newly rearranged dining room on her blog earlier this week, along with a few other images from my house set on Flickr. I loved reading the comments from readers and feel really grateful to be able to share a piece of our home to such a big audience. Thanks, Holly!

Speaking of inspiration, I wanted to share a few images that have been inspiring me this season. I'm not sure of all of the sources anymore but I'll do my best to point you in the right direction.

This is from the Denyse Schmidt workshop. Not sure where I found this image originally but I love this old church message board and would love to find one of these in a flea market someday!


You've been meaning to write, right? Why not make it even more enjoyable with this camp correspondence set from Yellow Owl Workshop.

These fantastic albums have sweet, cross-stitched hearts nestled in the covers.

I found this on Holly's blog a few weeks back and loved the brilliant colors in each granny square. Once we find out if we're having a Mr. or a Miss, I plan on starting in on a larger version of one of these. Similar to this one. Being due in early November means the little one will have the need for warm blankets so I might as well make them beautiful.
This pretty ditty feels like a fun take on the necklaces my Meemaw wears. I love the sunny yellow and think it would be a nice addition to a summer wardrobe. Brought to you by Anthropologie.

The art above the couch can have a place in my home any day. It's so calm and beautiful. Unfortunately, I can't remember my source for this one. Feel free to share if you're in the know.

Felt camera pouches for your point and shoot or cell phone. I love how the flap comes up like a flash on the bottom two.

I've seen ties used for many DIY projects but these may be the most creative AND beautiful transformation from forgotten to fantastic. No source.

Yowza! I love the colors in this room.

I think black and white, geometric quilts are incredibly beautiful and I'd love to have the wall space to hang something that huge and industrial.

Before I leave I want to tell you about Friday afternoon. Sebastian is in a wedding next month so we ordered him a formal suit last week and have been expecting it in the mail. We were in the living room when the regular mail man came by with a big, brown box. I told Sebastian it was his suit and we did a little dance because the role of ring bearer needs a lot of positive reinforcement, right? Well, he was a little disappointed when it was just some silly throw blanket that I'd made for a magazine in January being returned to me. I set it aside and we got on with playing trains.

Not thirty minutes later did the UPS man pull up carrying a larger brown box. We did the suit dance while opening the second unmarked parcel of the afternoon but I soon realized it was another mystery package. This one also had something in it that looked like a big blanket but wrapped nicely with a little tag on it that read Anthropologie! WHAT?!!!

I was trying to figure it all out when I remembered that part of my home decor presentation at the RVA craft weekend involved an example of how it's important to invest in special pieces for your home even if you have to wait awhile. I gave the example that we were saving up for an Anthropologie duvet and making it work in the meantime with several layers of vintage quilts and a throw from Urban Outfitters that I found on sale for $8.00. Not too shabby but in no way close to that dream bedding.

The mention that we were saving up for an Anthropologie duvet was merely an example but somebody took note. When this new friend requested my mailing address in an e-mail I thought nothing of it but it all came together as I unwrapped the most beautiful duvet and spread it across our bed.I kept saying, "Oh, Sebastian. This is so pretty. This is really special." He started repeating it and fanning his arms across the patterns.

"Really special. So pretty!"

I called Brett right away and promptly found the sender's e-mail address to let her know how much her thoughtfulness and generosity meant to me. I'm really humbled that someone that I've only known for a short time would do something so kind and unexpected and it truly speaks to the beauty of this person's heart. But I knew she was a gem before the box came.

I love that it now carries with it a beautiful story, much like each of the handmade quilts that used to belong in its place. WE LOVE IT!

The other part of my Friday afternoon included a long line for the womens' dressing rooms at Target, a handful of potential ensembles to wear to my cousin's wedding, and a vocal little boy that proudly declared to everyone within earshot, "Those are Mama's boobies!"

Thank you, son. That one is going in the books.

Red Velvet Art Update

It's happening. Like right now. Go on over to the RedVelvetArt.com to see what's new!

New acrylic on wood paintings measuring 8" x 10" and ready to hang.

ACEO cards to collect or trade. This is the first time I've made ACEO's and I'm addicted. I resisted for as long as I could but it's so satisfying to finish something quickly. Each one is signed and numbered. A little piece of original art to frame or stash in a binder just like this! Check here to see them all.



Leather button hair clips to show off your crafty nature. Hand tied and secured with adhesive and felt. They measure about 2.5" in diameter.

Red Gingham Bangles! Add them to your favorite white tee and jeans or pair them with a summery dress. They're lightweight and the perfect way to add some color and pattern to your ensemble.

Elsie has some new paintings and fun kits available that you won't want to miss. She's done a pregnancy kit for this update so I think I'm going to start taking some prego shots and make a little album with it!
Inspiration post coming soon!!!

Look Into The Sky

What a fantastic weekend full of out of town friends, flea markets and yummy food! Our good friend from college days, Brad, came down and stayed with us and kept Brett and I laughing with his not so subtle claims that we belong back in Shawnee, his YouTube videos, and a steady stream of one liners. We missed his wife this time but a visit with either of the Carters always leaves Brett and I extremely light-hearted and thankful. They are one of a kind.

photo borrowed from Holly

I got to enjoy Holly and Jenna's company over coffee on Sunday and learned all about the tattoo industry in Canada and got to see some secret projects in the works. I now know three Canadians well enough to call them friends. (Sharing certain details of childbirth takes you to that next level, right?) I was thankful for the time we got but it was certainly not enough. I'm sure Simon missed his Mama while she was gone!

Our third set of friends were in the neighborhood (Kansas City) and made an overnight trip to see us and get a taste of Springfield. So, we took them to a nice sushi restaurant because nothing says Springfield more than Japanese food, right? Ha! I went to high school in California with the Mr. and six years later he and his wife walked into our apartment complex in Seattle and I rented them an apartment! They are good letter writers and we've managed to keep in touch since we've moved away and were glad they made the extra drive to spend some time catching up.

I spent the rest of my Monday evening finishing the last half of Twilight while I rested on the couch. The boys were both taking naps and it was the perfect ending to a four day weekend full of good conversation and lovely people. I am currently scheming to get my hands on the second book in the series so if you're reading this, Jenny, go check your Twitter account!

Totally unrelated to my weekend are these two paintings that I finished a few weeks ago and forgot to post. Three more like them have been at the brick and mortar RVA store since the Art Weekend and have yet to be photographed. They are all going up in the Red Velvet Art update on Thursday evening along with a few other new projects I'm finishing tomorrow.


Brett, Brad and Sebastian ventured out to do some bee whispering while I was visiting with the Canadians. I came home smelling smoke but soon realized it was coming from the bee smoker in the backyard and went out to investigate. Brad got in closer with my camera than I ever would have dared and got some great shots of the process. You can see the rest here.


The very top picture is a testament of restraint and sensibility on my part. I think we took our various friends to five different flea markets and I managed to walk away with only three specific purchases for myself. I also let Sebastian pick out a toy truck and lucked upon a pair of formal dress shoes that he'll need for a wedding he's in next month. Never mind that they were a size too big. Kids grow fast, right? They'd obviously only been worn once before, which is about the number of times he'll wear them before they are too small.

I've got more pictures to share soon so don't be a stranger!