Tag Archives: holiday

07.09.13

Our Fourth of July BBQ....

Posted by Christina // 29 Replies

Tim and I love to entertain.

I kind of want to make it my job, but I feel like my habit of procrastinating would really be working against me. For instance, when people showed up to our Fourth of July backyard bash I was in my swimsuit…still cooking and panicked that I had not set up the food table or taken pictures for the blog. Tisk, tisk.

Then it hit me. As much as I would love to be the blogger that had her Fourth of July tutorials up two weeks before the holiday, giving you all inspiration and praying for pins….it is just not me. I tip my hat to you ladies, and inside my guts are jealous. I unfortunately embrace chaos, and work best under pressure.

In the midst of yelling at Tim to take as many photos as possible while cutting out watermelon stars, and screaming at everyone not to touch any of the food, I had an epiphany. I had to stop trying to be something I am not.

I started this blog as a creative outlet for my analytical mind. I wanted to document our lives together and be inspired to live more beautifully. I wanted to enjoy life more, and make new friends.

Let me tell you something, telling people not to touch the food until you get “the shot” is not going to make you friends.

Hi my name is Christina, and I fell victim to blog pressure.

Trying to keep up with the newest social medium, joining every creative network, and spending hours criticizing our projects. That has been life for the last couple weeks. Tim doesn’t approve, and in that moment of hangry girl madness….I changed my ‘tude.

I decided to kick back. Enjoy the day, and not guilt myself for taking the next two days off. Hope you all can understand and please forgive me, I know not what I do.

Are these pictures the greatest Fourth of July party photos ever, nope.
But that’s not what is important….whats important is the fun that was had and the margaritas that were consumed. Which was a lot.

Without any further rambling, this is a bit of our backyard BBQ. What did you do for the Fourth?
Have you ever been overcome with pressure to do things you don’t want to?
Ever tried to make Rice Krispie treats blue….yea about that.

07.02.13

Fourth of July mantle....

Posted by Christina // 15 Replies

While I do heart anything patriotic…but I am generally not a fan of Independence Day.

Gasp! A holiday Christina doesn’t like.

Not sure if Will Smith scarred me for life, or if it just my disdain for loud noises. It could also have something to do with the fact that for the first 25 years of my life I “thought” I didn’t like BBQ sauce. I am not sure why, but other than decking myself out in red, white, and blue and enjoying the day off I usually don’t do too much for this holiday.

Now please don’t come at me with “I hate ‘Merica” bashing. The Star Spangled Banner makes me cry, we fly our flag high, and I am eternally grateful for the freedom our soldiers fight for every single day. I just don’t like things that go boom and shake the house mmkay.

This year, that is all changing.

We decided that 2013 would be the year we would host a Fourth of July BBQ.
So this year, our home is decked out in stars & stripes. My mantle makes me happy. What is your least favorite holiday?
Any good Fourth recipes I should know about?
Know of any “quiet” firework shows?

05.28.13

Fabiola Mejia GIVEAWAY...

Posted by Christina // 18 Replies

Do you remember my “oops is it Mother’s Day tomorrow” epiphany?

After that, I vowed to change my ways. To be better prepared. Although my mom will just say that I declared my dad is the favorite, the truth is scrambling at the last-minute for cards and presents is never fun.

So I have already begun my quest for Father’s Day glory. I found these adorable cards on Fabiola Mejia and they are the perfect mix of my father and me. Of course I love their simple, cute design and my dad likes beer and cars. Hello, perfect. Have you strolled through the Father’s Day cards at Walgreens lately? They have nothing on these beauties. I am generally not a fan of cheesy poems, and my dad is generally not a fan of reading them either.

Fabiola’s cards get right to the point….the point of awesome. We want to make sure I am not the only one ready for June 16th. Fabiola is sweet enough to offer one lucky reader a Father’s Day card of their choice. Want to know the best part…even if you don’t win Fabiola Mejia is offering all Homemade Ocean homies 10% off her entire store until June 2nd. Just use the code YAY10 at checkout.

To enter all you have to do is let us know how much you want to win by leaving a comment below. Want to increase your chance of winning? Here are some extra entry possibilities (leave a separate comment for each):

– Pin the first image and leave one comment letting us know that you did.
– Subscribe to our blog so you never miss a post and leave one comment.
– Follow Fabiola Mejia on Twitter, come back here and leave one comment.
– Follow us on Twitter or Pinterest, and leave one comment (for each).
If you do everything that’s 6 total comments & entries.

Giveaway ends on May 31st at midnight. Good Luck.

03.12.13

March Mantel-ness....

Posted by Christina // 2 Replies

This is for all the ladies in the midst of brackets and basketball.

We can make our own March fun, right?
We can call it mantel madness, you down?

A couple weeks (yes weeks) ago I decorated the mantel for St. Patty’s Day.
What can I say, I am excited.

Once again I have to ask for photography forgiveness. Mantel is directly across from our fish tank. Hence, lots of blue glowiness and glares. I had lots of yarn left over from my St. Pat’s wreath, so I channeled my inner Martha and made lots of yarn poufs and called it garland.

Have you been decorating in green and gold?
Got a fancy mantel? I’d love to see it.

03.07.13

Green, green, and more green...

Posted by Christina // 2 Replies

The other day I showed you my classy Irish gal outfit.
I also told you that I won’t be be rocking it.

As a holiday that highly revolves around the drinkity drank, I feel like these are more my St. Pat’s style. Bring on the whiskey.

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I feel like I need to own every single one of those tees.

For the sweeter little dumplings (you know the ones that I don’t have) there are tons of cute options. I’ll take one of each. Two of the toddler.

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Can I get a chubby leg warmers Amen.

Do you already have your parade attire picked out?
Hate getting pinched?

02.26.13

Is it March yet...

Posted by Christina // 20 Replies

I try really hard not to wish my life away…but what is the hold up on March?

March is one of my favorite months. Tulips start blooming, birds start singing and there is this one little holiday. My favorite holiday. Yes I was totally the girl who would pinch everyone for not wearing green. Sorry for annoying you back in the day friends, but I hope you learned your lesson.

Did you know my last name is Bailey, like the Irish Creme. That was my tagline in college so people could remember me when they Facebook stalked later.
Oh St. Pattys, I am waiting patiently.

Until then, I will just make lots of pretty green things. I want to see green and gold in every corner of my home this time of year.

This was an inexpensive and fairly easy DIY.
The best part is the endless color combinations…I am thinking I need a yarn wreath in every color. Ohhhh now I am seeing a whole wall of colorful wreaths.

If only I had the patience. I went to Hobby Lobby the other day to catch a sale on yarn and fabric. I also had a 40% off coupon so the whole project cost under $10. Have you looked at wreaths online lately? They are not cheap people.

I will give you advance warning, make sure you have a good movie queued up when you start. Wrapping the yarn took me about an hour and a half, so thankfully I got all caught up on the Gypsy Sister drama. Holler.

Can you guess what I used for the white fabric? They are some tee shirts that T was about to throw out. Score!

If you don’t already have a fabric flower tutorial pinned, make sure you check out Katie Bower’s of Bower Power Blog. It is the best I have seen, and there is a video. You’ll be a flower making professional in no time.

Are you overly excited to go green?
Will you be drinking green beer?
Any parades in your future?

Did you know Rolla, Missouri has one of the biggest Pats celebrations?