Any Ideas?????

So, time is moving fast and pretty soon we will be finding out what gender the baby is (hopefully ;).

I really want to do a fun photo shoot revealing the gender somehow, like this cool one by Drew B. I have thought of a few things, like doing a cupcake with the inside color being gender specific and having pics of us eating it and showing the inside, but I was wondering if any one out there had a good idea? I want to try and include my hubby and daughter in the pictures too.We are away from family, so it's a fun way to share the news with everyone!

PS: Slowly working on some preggo outfits to share!!!! In the meantime, if you are looking for some maternity tutorials, check out this awesome post by Shannon.

You Never Know

Life can be interesting. It is an adventure for sure. I really feel this way with all the moving we have done and will continue to do (being a military family and all). The most interesting part though are all the people I get to meet. People I never would have met otherwise.
Last summer, I announced we were moving to the Pensacola area and I received many emails from those of you who live here or have lived here. It was so special to receive so much information about the area in all, but little did I know that I would meet one of those kind people randomly.

I was in church a few weeks back waiting in line to pick up my daughter from Sunday School. As I stood there, a lady a few people behind me was like, "Hi! I know you." I was thinking, where in the world do I know her from because I don't recognize her?! I think she saw this on my face and said, "You don't know me though. I follow your blog." We chatted for a minute and I asked her to email me and maybe we could set up a play date with our little ones. Well, she did and it's been a beautiful and blossoming friendship ever since!

In honor of her turning the big 30, I created her this necklace. It's my favorite so far! It was fun to try and think of how to put it together. I didn't even know this, but she told me after she received it that butterflies are her favorite because they remind her of how she's a new creation in Jesus. How neat is that? I am so thankful to the Lord that He let our paths cross.

Shabby Apple Dress Giveaway!!!!! (CLOSED)

Shabby Apple is a store that is unlike any other. They are an online dress boutique selling Women's Dresses, casual dresses, skirts, and women’s apparel. They strive to design highly fashionable and modest dresses for all types of women, since they know we all differ so much! Along with women's clothing, they have dresses for Little Girls Dresses from Shabby Apple too....and maternity dresses!!!!!!!(check Maternity Dresses from Shabby Apple out here).

And guess what? Not only are they doing this giveaway, but they are offering a 10% discount to all you Happy Together readers!!!! Just use code happytogether10off when checking out.

Now....onto the giveaway......
The dress that is up for grabs in this giveaway is their Happy Talk dress in yellow!!


Isn't it gorgeous????? I just love the style, the color, and the modesty it brings. It is simple and sophisticated at the same time. The description says this about the dress:

"C'mon, get happy! Two sunny, spiraling rosettes adorn the bodice of the Happy Talk dress, while the simple, elastic-drawn waist gives a perfect fit to every shape. Falling just below the knee, the straight skirt has a retro feel. Make it your afternoon picnic staple, or take it out on the town with a bundle of baubles and an armful of bangles.

Dress Fits Generously. Sizes XXS - XL.

Fit Notes: Skirt mid knee.

Dress made of cotton poplin with 2% spandex for a little stretch. Machine wash cold on delicate cycle, hang dry."


How to enter: GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED

(This contest is open to US residents only)

1. Just leave a comment. If for some reason it's giving you a hard time and not letting you, just send me an email and I will add your entry to the pile. Please try to remember to leave your email in your comment so I can contact you if you win.

2. For an extra entry, you can like their page on Facebook by going here. Then leave a comment saying you are following them there.

Entries will be accepted for a week (closing on February 25, 2011).

And don't forget to use your coupon code, happytogether10off, for 10% off if you order from them!

L*O*V*E

Today many people take some extra time to celebrate love. We celebrate love all the time and work hard to practice real love, but we also enjoy doing some special things for Valentines Day.

My daughter and I worked together on making her a special shirt. We dipped a pencil eraser in fabric paint to create the heart and then dabbed sparkle fabric paint on top of each dot (although you can't really tell in the picture. I also crocheted her this heart using this really great pattern and her headband is one I made her last year.

Love is such a wonderful thing, but it can also bring hurt too. For those of you who opened your heart and have been hurt, I pray you find healing. It's hard. It's painful. But if you can find a way to continue on and keep your heart wide open with love, it will be amazing.

There is a song that I really have enjoyed the words to lately and I leave you with this:
(It's called "Love is Not a Fight" by Warren Barfield.)

Love is not a place, to come and go as we please, it is a house we enter in, and then commit to never leave, so lock the door behind you, throw away the key, we’ll work it out together, let it bring us to our knees

Love is a shelter in a raging storm; Love is a peace in a middle of a war, and if we try to leave may God send angels to guard the door.
No, love is not a fight, but is something worth fighting for.

To some love is a word that they can fall into, but when they’re falling out, keeping their word is hard to do

Love is a shelter in a raging storm; Love is peace in a middle of a war, but if we try to leave may God send angels to guard the door.
No, love is not a fight, but is something worth fighting for.

Love will come to save us, if we’ll only call, he will ask nothing from us, but demand we’ll give our all.

Love is a shelter in a raging storm; Love is a peace in a middle of a war, and if we try to leave may God send angels to guard the door.
No, love is not a fight, but is something worth fighting for.
I will fight for you!

Would you fight for me?

It’s worth fighting for.

Happy Valentines Day!

Growing

It has happened. I can no longer officially wear my regular pants. My baby belly has begun!

I'm trying to document my pregnancy better this time, so I had my hubby take these a few weeks ago. I am already scheming for some fun photo shoots when I REALLY have a big belly :)

After I finish some custom orders, I am going to work on sewing some new maternity clothes (which are desperately needed).

Off to Auction

Back in the fall I committed to whip up a few things to go to an auction for my old high school. It's a Christian school, so they do a big auction every year to help raise money and all.

I finished it all up and got it in the mail this weekend! It feels good to finish something. Especially when it's been on the to do list for a while. I made a bunch of colorful bows using this tutorial.

I also just had fun making a bunch of different headbands with things I had in the craft room.

(Tutorial for center in pink flower is here) (The round things on the middle one are called yo-yo's; here is a good tutorial) (Use this tutorial to make the blue flowers)

And my most favorite thing, this pretty necklace. I was so tempted to keep this. I love the whimsical fabric necklaces that one can create. It was very fun to put together. Maybe I should go make one right now? Hmmmmmm.......

(I used this tutorial for the rosette flowers)

And You Thought Christmas was Over!

With the wonderfulness of receiving morning sickness in the middle of December, I didn't quite finish everything on time. I recently got these few things out and I can now say that all of the Christmas gifts have finally been distributed (it only took me til February!).

I always try to make something for the men, so our dad's received a special shirt from their darling little granddaughter. I had my daughter draw a picture of her with each of her grandpas and then traced it on freezer paper and created the freezer paper stencil.

They came out great! My hubby says he needs one now :) Most guys can always use a new t-shirt anyways, so why not a super special one?

I found some more quilt squares and whipped up two scarves (tutorial here) for our moms. These squares were just a lot bigger, making the scarf longer and wider.

And I just had to share this special order I had the honor to create. A lady sent me a picture of her and her hubby and scans of a love letter by each of them to create this piece. Didn't it turn out spectacular with the letters?????? Tutorial here.

Now that I'm back from all the funeral stuff for my grandma, I'm hoping to get back into the swing of things. I am starting to feel better and believe I'm at the end of this morning sickness road. Thank you all for your encouraging words and prayers about my grandmother's passing and about my morning sickness. It means the world to me.