happy {memorial day} weekend.

*Hi friends, I'm updating this post on Saturday to tell you this weeks {flea} will be on Tuesday. I can't *wait* to show you guys what I found...it's plain amazing. I hope you're having an awesomely fun and safe Memorial Day weekend. Josh and I have been having so much fun, I can't wait to share. See you Tuesday!*

Happy Memorial Day weekend friends! Do you have some super fun plans? Josh and I are going to spend the long weekend outside enjoying the perfect weather. Possible plans include visiting the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, hiking up Pikes Peak and visiting Seven Falls. All beautiful ways to celebrate!


I sincerely hope that while you're tipping back a cold one and gorging yourselves on BBQ that you take a moment remember those who have sacrificed their lives for our country and those that are away for their families today. It takes a special kind of person to volunteer for the military and I don't say that just because I'm married to a soldier. The sacrifice the men and women of our Armed Forces make is never lost on me; I'm eternally grateful.

Ps. My friend Sheena shot these homecoming photos. Grab a box of tissues before you hit play.

Welcome home! from Sheena Ratliff on Vimeo.
I'll be tipping back a few for our friends Ben, Jesse and Seth and also their gals Amy, Gina and Kelsey, who are making a sacrifice of their own sort. We miss them bunches and can't wait to see them again!

See you kittens Sunday for the {flea}! Don't forget your sunscreen and a designated driver.

kitty goodies.

Our Hank is pretty low key for a kitty. There's no need to buy him fancy, overpriced toys or over the top beds and accessories. On any given day he's perfectly happy with a hair band, rolled up receipts and a few pom poms I've made him. At night all he wants is a few belly scratches and to sleep under the covers with us.

I can't help though buying him some cute little treats sometimes. It's worth it to see him slide across the floor in sheer pounce happiness!

I saw this adorable Kitty Cabin from Loyal Luxe and I knew Hank had to have it. It's rusticly adorable, earth friendly, and really reasonably priced. I can't wait to see him relax with the little moosehead above the door!

Hank doesn't have a ton of catnip toys, he usually chews them into oblivion. But these little knit bunnies from Coffee and Cream are hard to resist. I think he needs a rainbow of them, don't you?

via coffee and cream : pattern via ravelry

And these kitty "villages" I spotted on Modern Cat are to.die.for. I love, love the bright colors and whimsical design. I don't think Hank would use this acutally, but I bet if you had a hoard of kittens to tend to this would be purrfect!


I think the little rustic Cat Cabin is going to be headed to our house very, very soon. What do you treat your furry family members with? I'd love to see your favorite shops, treats, and tricks.

Hank would really appreciate it too!


Isn't he so handsome? It's so nice to have a little kitty to make me smile daily.

Hank and I are off to have a little breakfast, play some catch and work for a super productive day! See you loves later. xo.

little lulls.

Do you ever feel like you have to go, go, go? My little four day weekend with Angela was so much fun, we shopped, laughed, and  took some amazing pictures (which I can't wait to share with you) , but the moment I hit that little lull of activity and creativity, I crashed. I now have a full blown sinus thing going on and slept alot longer than I'm willing to admit. What do you do to get through those little lulls?

Just looking at this makes me feel happy. I want a getaway here!


This weekend Josh and I plan on spending alot of time outside, hiking, hitting up some {fleas} and maybe even a little weekend getaway. I need to relax but keep it busy and interesting enough to recharge!


Today however I'm going to watch Amelie and load myself up with tea and medicine so I'm not dragging for Memorial Day! See you tomorrow. xo.

trash the dress.


Today Angela and I have a fun filled day planned! We're going to hike up Pikes Peak, have a picnic lunch, get my hair done and head to a few special spots for a Trash The Dress shoot! I've been wanting to do this, well, forever. And having her here is the perfect opportunity. I won't be "trashing" my dress; no paint, no oil, no flames, I just don't have the heart. But, I can tell you there will be lots of climbing involved and maybe even some water.

Here are some of my favorite recent Trash The Dress photos!




A fun house? Yes, please!

all photos via Trash the Dress and property of their respective photogs.

Have you done or plan on doing a Trash the Dress? I want to hear all about it! I feel like I'll need a good stretch beforehand!

super {flea} sunday.

Good morning! It is rare that I'm up super early on a Sunday. Since my friend Angela is here, I had to drop her off at her Zumba training at 8am! When she comes home this evening, she'll be a certified Zumba badass.

Since I had a few early hours to myself I decided to hit up a few of my favorite {flea} spots and see if there were any cute deals to be found. Of course there were!

 I snagged this sweet wooden VW bug for Josh's nightstand, which is severly lacking in the decorative department. It was really dusty, but a quick spray down, a little sunshine and it's now happily next to his spot. It even has a cute wooden steering wheel, seats and dash inside. 


I'm off to make some bacon and eggs, yum. Later I'll pull out my wedding dress for a little something special tomorrow! Have a great day. xo.

happy weekend.

I'm so excited for this weekend! Tonite we have a little get together at Josh's work and on Saturday I'll be picking up my friend Angela! The weather is going to be beautiful and Angela and I are going to go for a hike, take some pretty pictures and explore Colorado Springs.

I'm hoping too that she gets to see some of our amazing wildlife. These little guys show up in our yard every evening around dusk. They are Mule Deer, and I swear if you could get a saddle on one, you could ride it around.


I want to know what your fantastic weekend plans are? Dinner? Movie? Bonfire? A Bonfire pit is high on my {Humble} Home list! Whatever you get into, have fun. See you kittens Sunday for the {flea}. xo.

clean queen and d-i-y cleaner.


I have been a french maid all week! There's nothing like a guest to make you snap out of your lull and clean your place into perfection. I didn't have alot to do, but there were boxes of books to be put away and pictures to be hung; the last of the stuff from our move.



When it comes to cleaning, I like to go the natural route. I don't like harsh chemicals in my home, it's not good for the environment, Hank or us. For most cleaning jobs I use my own all purpose cleaner. It's easy to make, and I can easily add essential oils, lemon or orange peels to make it smell pretty. Ready? Let' go!

All you need is:
- a squirt bottle
- 1 teaspoon Washing Soda (not baking soda)
- 2 cups of hot water
- a touch of free and clear liquid detergent
- essential oils or lemon/orange peels.

Simply mix all the ingredients together, give it a shake and clean your house top to bottom!
(I do however reccomend testing surfaces before going nuts).

It's easy to make a big batch of this and keep it under your sink and refill your squirt bottle as needed.

If you can't make your own or just want a little change, I also keep Mrs. Meyers in our house. It's the best out there, and they have super yummy smells like Basil. My favorite is the seasonal Iowa Pine scent; it smells like a forest!


Isn't that ad so cute and bright? That's kitchen worthy for sure.

Do you have a natural take on cleaning? Please share your tips and tricks in the comments, I love a new recipe to try! See you in just a bit for a weekend wish.

rocky mountain paper.

As I make our house into a {Humble} Home, I find myself being inspired by everything in the Rockies, from the deep green mountains, to the snowy peaks against the pale blue sky. I don't want a "chalet" per say, but exposed beams and stone fireplaces sure are hard to pass up in this part of the country.

To make things a little more whimsical and little less "mountain cottage", I've been infusing bright pops of color here and there. Let me tell you, it's really tough. One of our biggest issues is the massive wallspace in this house. Each room has at least one enourmous blank wall and the living room, which can be looked down on from the loft, has walls that are two stories high! I need scale; big furniture, big art and big prints.

So when I found this uh-mazing wall paper from Fine Little Day, my heart was so happy. It's got a big print that's not overwhelming, and the fact that it was designed by the owners eight year old son, Otto, makes it about as whimsical as can be.


What do you think? It screams Rocky Mountains, no? I don't think a whole wall will look right (and I don't think our landlord would be very happy), but I need this in my home. A large piece in a quirky frame may be just the way to go!

Do you have any tips and tricks to tackle my huge walls? I'd love to hear them.

See you loves tomorrow, I need to clean, clean, clean so my house is in tip-top shape for my guest and I'll be knocking out another This {Humble} Home project! xo.

ps. Don't forget to vote for Indira in the Doodle 4 Google contest!

doodle 4 google.

I don't very often ask you guys to 'vote' for things on behalf of me or my friends, but Doodle 4 Google is a cause worth talking about. Google has asked kiddos across the country, grades K thru 12 to submit doodles, to be placed on their website with the theme "If I could do anything".

They are now down to 40 finalists, and you can vote in each grade group until May 25th at 5pm (pacific). I opened a Facebook message to the sweetest message and birthday request from my friend Christy; her daughter's friend, Indira has made it to the top 40!!! Indira is 8 years old, in the 3rd grade, and insanely talented.

So...I'm asking all of you, purrty please, to take a second, click here and vote for Indira (k-3, region 4). And I'm not asking just because she's the friend of a friend, her doodle really is the best.


If you take two seconds to vote, and two seconds to pass it along to some friends, Indira could win a *huge* scholarship to college, a laptop, a trip to Google headquarters in New York and $25,000 for her school! 

I think it's really important to support young artists and to help make kids dreams come true! I can't imagine the excitement that Indira must be feeling inside and I would love it if you guys could help her realize her dream. Her doodle, along with the other finalists, is going to hang in the Smithsonian's Nation Design Museum after the contest. What an accomplishment for an amazing little girl!

Please let me know if you voted, leave your well wishes for Indira and pass it along to your friends! xo.

cold-hearted snake.

Dear Christy,

I want to wish you the happiest birthday of all time! I hope it's filled with laughter, wine and yummy food. Thanks for being an amazing friend to me; I owe you so much. I wish that I was there to celebrate with you. A drink over the phone (or 5) will have to do.

Love,
Roxanne


Hey loves, it's my friend Christy's birthday (inventor of the Pretentious Sunhat). Leave her a little birthday wish below! A joke, a link to a funny video, she'll love it.

*Ps. I don't think she's actually a cold-hearted snake, I just call her that Paula Abdul style.

pin it forward.

I am sooooo excited this morning! When I woke up I got a lovely little email in my inbox that I'll be participating in SF Girl by Bay's blog mashup Pin It Forward!!!



Victoria was invited to try out a totally awesome new website, Pinterest. It's kind of a hybrid We Heart It, Polyvore, Tumblr where members can make inspiration pinboards, repin other photos they love, follow members and link to their blogs. It's design is sleek, easy on the eyes and full of inspiration.

The fun begins May 24th, I hope you'll all follow along! You'll see my Pin It Forward post in about a month; the theme is "What Home Means to You". I can't wait; get excited kittens!!!

teeny summer dress.


I'm clearly on this baby kick. After my sweater and sweet little Liberty of London dress, I still wasn't satisfied. I found a pack of onesies I had bought to make something for my friend when she was pregnant, but never made it in time!

So I dragged out these sweet little onesies, a vintage pillow case in the cutest pattern, and using Rachel Denbow's adorable tutorial as a guide I whipped up a sweet little summer dress in no time!


I didn't add any elastic to mine, instead I used the cuff of the pillow case to make a band and bow around the waist, a la all those adorable adult dresses you see at Target.


Kids or no kids, don't sweet little clothes make you smile? I hope to add a few more of these to my Someday Chest and a crank out a few more for friends!

I want to know what you're working on this week. Leave a comment, link me to pictures of your latest and greatest! xo.

above and beyond....


Pretentious, that is. Remember my lovely pretentious sunhats? Well my sister-in-law, Rebekah, sent me this doozy. She was spot on, don't you think?

Overly big? Check. Slightly not cute (what is with the raffia)? Check. Pricey? Hell yes. $128? I love you Anthro but you've lost your dang mind! My favorite is the model's smirk and the woman's face in the background. It just adds to the pretentiousness.


I giggled alot when she pointed out to me the uber pretentious description. They really went all out on this one:

"Crisp strands of raffia circle the brim of this wide topper, as if baked slowly in the rays of a summer day."

Yes, baked in the summer sun, until it sprinkles and it looks like you have a birds nest on your hat. Teehee :P

So I want to see, have you got you're sunhat all set for the Summer? I'm still on the hunt for mine. See you this afternoon with a cute project. xo.

super {flea} sunday.


Happy Sunday pretty boys and gals! The dismal weather finally broke and today is perfectly sunny and clear. That makes me so happy! How was your weekend? Josh and I were able to have dinner with some friends, try out a new brewery, and squeeze a little {flea}ing in.

We have some pretty huge thrifts here, ones that can take hours to go through. But I'm always finding amazing treasures. This week I snagged an adorable vintage apron. You can tell it's handmade because I've found some mistakes in the pattern, but that and the gently yellowed yarn makes it much more special.


Despite the smaller size of many vintage garments, this actually fits me! But I think it will end up in a white washed frame in the kitchen. An adorable piece, don't you think? I love the pink and bright blue.

Today's {flea} is brought to you by 'the chicken with their head cut off' aka, me. My friend Angela is coming for a visit next week and there's nothing like a house guest to make you unpack the rest of your crap! So I'll see you kittens tomorrow. Wish me luck!

happy weekend.

This weekend I have so many plans! A few little This {Humble}Home projects, an afternoon with some new friends, and a little {flea} adventure. What fun plans do you have for this weekend?

Today I'll be doing the stuff that needs to get done to have fun, a quick trip the grocery store and a hair cut. I'll also be fawning over my friend Chelsea's, of The Vintage Chair's new blog Red Dirt Revival, you should check it out too!


Totally going to start me weekend off with some yummy Nutella and tea! Yum.

See you Sunday for a super cute {flea}. Happy weekend!

ahoy, captain.



Sometimes all it takes to make you smile is to see something that makes you feel like a kid again. When I spotted these pretty captain bed's on Anthropologie and Poppytalk, I couldn't wipe the grin off my face.

They're filled to the brim with Summer. Light, airy, lots of whimsical layers with a splash of color. This one has stolen my heart.


And this one makes me want to run away to a cabin in the woods and never leave. You coming with me?


I didn't have a captain's bed per say when I was a kid. We had a window seat in the bathroom, but it had the best light in the house and I would often curl up on the cushion and read a book in the afternoon sunshine or watch my mom do her hair.

These have me itching for a captain's bed, or reading nook for the summer time and we have the perfect bay window in the living room that is already becoming a whimsical space in my head! If you have space for a captains bed, this d-i-y on Apartment Therapy is just too cute and easy.

Here's to adding another project to my This {Humble} Home list (you don't want to know how many items are on that list). Tell me, I want to know what home features remind you of your childhood?

See you loves soon! Perhaps with some kitten goodness or a little d-i-y. Check back to see! xo.

dreary happiness.

Today is a dreary day here in Colorado. Clouds are looming, the rain is rolling in and the forecast is calling for snow! Snow?!?! I'm not sure Colorado knows it's Spring yet.

But amongst all the dreary weather there is happiness. A fresh pan of brownies, sewing projects to be done, a warm blanket and a weathered copy of The Bell Jar to be read; one of my favorite books.


Is your weather dreary? Most of my friends and family have talked about chilly weather all week. No matter what it's like in your neck of the woods, I hope you're feeling happy. See you tomorrow. xo.

ps. for some extra happiness, check out my additions to The Someday Chest.

storing your pretties.

Earlier when I introduced you to the cute things for my Someday Chest, I said I didn't have an acutal chest. Well, silly me, I do! It's sitting in our living room serving as the coffee table and catch-all for our stchuff. It's on the roster for a This {Humble} Home makeover, but I'm not certain it's right to house my collection of 'someday things'.

So I set off in search of some inspiration and found so many beautiful ways to store them. Decisions, decsions. What do you think?

Some hat boxes might be cute. There are plenty out there, but they could multiply quickly and who has space to store something round?


This toy box from Mod Mom Furniture is uh-may-zing! It's certainly investment piece, but could be passed down from kiddo to kiddo once I'm through with it. *sigh*, this is so pretty.


A stack of vintage suitcases could be lovely.They're cheaply found, can be used for a dozen different uses and make extra cute decor.


I think I'll have to make over my trunk first and see how I feel. It's just moved to the top of my to-do list!

Have a happy afternoon! See you loves tomorrow.

the someday chest.

Hope Chests are a long standing tradition in many cultures. Filled to the brim with things that a woman needs to make a home before marriage, the lovely items are usually stored in a decorated cedar chest.

I've started a hope chest of my own, a someday chest, but for a very different reason. I have no actual chest yet, but already have started to collect some pretty things, both bought and handmade for my someday children. Josh and I aren't planning on kiddos anytime in the near future, but you hear a lot of knitters talk about starting projects when they find out they're pregnant and they simply never get finished (maybe on account of all the trips to the potty and appointments). I figured starting ahead of time, alternating between things for boys and girls, I could have lots of lovely little things by the time I do have kids.

My very first project to put in the box is the  the Baby Sophisticate sweater in a delicious bulky yarn from my favorite, Three Irish Girls. Not only was this my first Someday Chest project, but it was also my first garment!

pattern via ravelry

I don't know why I was ever afraid of knitting garments! This pattern was super easy and extra adorable. The Springvale Bulky yarn base, part of my club shipments from 3IG, was heaven to work with; like butter really. A few cute, contrasting buttons and voila! I have my first item for The Someday Chest, with enough left over to knit a teensy hat.

Also this weekend, I snagged a cute Liberty of London dress on sale! Now I'm not saying I don't want to have a boy, but little girls clothes have me completely smitten. Isn't this freakin' cute?


I'm still on the hunt for one more of their toddler dresses to add and of course, I'm on the lookout for chest! My only other item at the moment is a little Jimi Hendrix t-shirt and they all fit nicely into a basket in my closet.

Did you, or do you, save things for your someday kiddos? I'd love to hear the special things you've gotten or have handed down.  I'll be back this afternoon with some more Someday Chest inspiration. xo.

super {mother's day} sunday.

Happy Mother's Day! I hope all of you lovely mum's are having a fun filled day with your family. I'm really missing my Mom today and wish we could be sitting on the patio laughing and making yummy food. I'm dedicating today's {flea} to her. Happy Mother's Day Mom, I love you!

This weeks {flea} aren't things I have purchased, but rather photos I've ganked from my parents (sorry, Mom) and lessons I've learned.

My Mom is a smart, beautiful, 'take no shit' kind of woman. She's taught me to be gracious, pick my battles and always say I love you!


My Mom had both me and my brother before she married my dad. She never wanted me to think that she got married just because she was pregnant. Instead my Mom taught me that love is above all else and married my Dad because she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him, not because it was 'expected'. I love that about her; a woman with her own mind and a steadfast opinion.

That's me and her before I was Christened.

Wanna guess where I get my sass and attitude from? My husband and dad can tell you, I got it from my Mom. Growing up she taught me to be an individual. I pride myself on being unique and I owe that to her; she taught me to be a leader, not a follower; being one of the cool kids didn't mean a thing, and to dance to the beat of my own drum. Thanks Mom; I know I'm me, but I'm glad to have some of your awesomeness too!

Mother's Day 1991...Look at those outfits and my sass face.

Every ounce of creativity I have, I owe to my mom. She's my idol when it comes to these things. My cousin jokes that she and I (the students) have become the masters (my mom and aunt). But I know that everything I've created, every idea I have is because she pushed me, and still pushes me, to take every spark of imagination and run with it.

My friends call me Susie Homemaker, you can see it started young.

When I was young my Mom and I butted heads, big time. Like any teenager, I thought I knew everything and she knew jack. Well listen up folks... Mom, you listening? She was right. About everything. About boys, about school, about love, about life, about lessons learned, broken hearts, marriage, everything! You name it, she was right.  She's the smartest woman I know and I'm super proud that she's my mom! I love as a young adult getting compliments about my manners; I always tell them how proud my Mom and Dad would be.

High School graduation. We're pretty much identical.

As I grow up and someday become a Mom of my own, I'm glad that in my heart I know that I'm solid and that when I'm not, when I need to cry or vent, that my Mom is going to be there for me.

Thank you Mom, from the bottom of my heart for everything you have taught me and all the love you have given me over the years. Even when you don't think I'm listening, it seeps into my brain somehow, and I'm glad it has. I'm so grateful for you, your parenting and now, your friendship.

 Have a happy, happy Mother's Day, I love you so much!

xo, Punky

Still her little girl, even on my wedding day.

I hope you all are enjoying a beautiful Sunday! This week I have some really cute projects to show you, a diy, and hopefully (fingers crossed) a new edition of This {Humble} Home! See you tomorrow.

happy weekend.

Can you believe it's Friday already? Sometimes the week just goes too quickly, but it usually means I was having fun! What was your favorite part about this week? Mine was you all, hands down.

I want to give a shout out to all the lovely military spouses out there. Today is Military Spouse Appreciation Day and I know so many amazing wives and husbands who stand by their spouse through of the toughest shit you can imagine. I admire each and every one of them for their dedication and ability to always keep cool.


This weekend, I have no clue what we are doing! I tried to think of something good to tell you, but...nothing. I know I'd like to work on some projects around the house and do some thrifting. I have some really great things in store for next week too!

Have a happy, happy weekend. See you Sunday for a special Mother's Day edition of the {flea}!

wholly beavers!

I love shenanigans; my friend Christy, she loves them too. We're constantly Facebooking videos back and forth that we then quote for hours and laugh so hard we pee our pants. We're kind of known for that sort of thing.

Christy's also a doula, or birth assistant, and she's a badass doula at that. I've learned more about birth in the past year from her than I ever have. She makes me want to have kids (but not too soon...Mom). Well for an upcoming training she was looking for informative videos to teach new assistants about the stages of labor and came across this fantastically (a "Christy" word...I can hear her saying it.) informative video.

Watch the shenanigans unfold; laugh; pee your pants, we don't judge.

via youtube

I've watched it about a dozen times and keep saying "wholly beavers" to Josh. He looks at me like I'm crazy, but I know I can call Christy, drop into our conversation and laugh until it hurts!

Got an shenanigans to share? I love a good laugh.

Have a super fun afternoon; see you loves tomorrow!

today i love....

This week I have been on such a high! Between my tattoo, my fabulous readers (sitting at 90 followers, squee!), having fun with friends, and spending time with Josh and Hank, this week is peaking.

Some would say there's no where to go but down from here, but I'm an optimist! I'm always looking for something to smile and laugh about and today I found bliss at Spool No. 72.

Since I seem to be smitten with all things Native this Spring it's no wonder Spool's collection speaks to me. It's inspired, easy to wear, and oh-so-cute! I think they've inspired an idea or two; just take a look.


I am not a jewlery kinda gal, but I love this bracelet.




Their bags made from Navajo rugs sold like hot cakes! Aren't they perfect?


I wish I could pull off a cute romper like this. Instead I look like a baby shoved into a onesie that's too small. This gal's got thighs. But I can dream, right?

all via spool 72

Hop on over and check out the rest of their line; you won't be disappointed!

What's got you smitten today, kittens? I wanna know! I'm also knitting my first ever sweater and can't wait to show you and also have a few more projects on my plate. See you this afternoon for a little fun!

shoot for spring.

Before I left Florida, my friend Angela who runs Bella Vita Photography took my friend Christy and I out for a fun photoshoot. We had so much fun taking photos, making silly faces, and laughing together. I'll never forget that day.

I feel so blessed to have such an amazingly talented friend. Last night she sent me a handful of my photos that we took at the cutest little bookstore up the street from our old place. I wanted to share a little sneak peek with you; I can't wait to see the rest!


My favorite part of these photos is the colors. They're so vibrant and fun!


This little shoot also confirmed that I'll never dye my hair ever again. I love it natural.


Cackle much? Angela's little girl was on the other side dancing and making faces at me.


She told me to bust a move and this is what she got.




I feel soooo awkward posting pictures of myself, but Angela is an amazing talent. I have insecurities like alot of girls and she succeeded in making me feel pretty! Thank you, friend!

She'll be here in a few weeks and we're going to do a little "trash the dress" session with my wedding dress. I can't wait to see what crazy idea she comes up with. Perhaps I'll be doing some rock climbing in my gown.

If you're ever in the Florida area, look her up here; I'm sure she'd love to make you feel pretty too! 

See you loves this afternoon with some more fun! xo.

on the way.

Summer that is. Even though in the past few weeks we've had snow, rain and hail here in Colorado, tonite, while I sat outside and enjoyed the sunset I heard the first sure sign that Summer is on it's way.

The gentle 'whoo-whoo' of a sweet little owl lulled me into daydreams about bike rides, baseball games and swims in the springs. Summer is coming friends, and I can't wait!


Before I head off for the evening I want to give you all a huge Thank You! I was nervous about going a little deeper than crafts and whimsy today with my May 4th post. But your genuine responses and thoughts really made my day. I love conversing with you and hearing your thoughts on the important (and not so important) stuff. Between this and the last two This {Humble} Home posts, you all have sincerely made me smile so big I can't wipe it off of my face! xo.

I'll see you tomorrow for some fun and a peek at my new tattoo! Have an awesome evening.