Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween!

Here is a pic of my little kitty cat all dressed up and ready for her first trick-or-treating experience. I absolutely love seeing all the little kids dressed up on this night... My favorite costume as a kid was a lady-bug that my Momma made. I had high aspirations to make Ava a costume this year but I started too late and never ended up having time to work on it. So, Costco saved the day. I did manage to add a bow and paint her face at least! We've had some great family times the last few days which is such a relief as Tyler and I have both been so busy and working so much.
Can't wait to take Avaree around the neighborhood tonight and then watch her Dad and Uncle eat all her candy! ;)
On a completely different subject... I am itching to show you all my garage sale finds from the weekend... But they will have to wait until later this week. Check back soon for some furniture make-over excitement!

Italian Family Circus

I just had to share some pictures of our time at the Italian Family Circus... Zoppe! It was in our little downtown last week and we took Avaree to the show. She was terrified of the clown but loved the horses and flying trapeze. What a great family memory! Of course, Auntie and Uncle and some friends came along too... 

we had a blast!!!

My Fall Decor...

 As with most of us, our budget is very tight right now. I'm thankful to Mr. V. for at least trying to understand the "importance" of adding some fall decor to our apartment. I've learned that it doesn't take much to change things up and reuse things in different spaces... You'd be surprised how a few pumpkins have you craving apple cider, a soft blanket, and a good book.  Here are a few little things I did to bring the harvest feeling to our home....

This past week I added a couple more projects... Mason jars are one of my favorite easy and cheap ways to decorate. Here I used them as picture frames to highlight our family fall trip to the pumpkin patch. I also made one more fall wreath for the bare wall in the hallway... So fun, easy, and CHEAP!

My First Blog Award!

I am so excited to share with you that I received my first Versatile Blogger Award. A huge thank you goes to Melissa at Shabby Love for nominating Burlap and Buttons. Check out her blog below...





I feel so honored for the opportunity and can't wait to pass it along some other amazing blogs I have recently discovered!  
After accepting the Versatile Blogger Award, the blogger must:
1. Thank the person who gave the award and link back to them in your post.
2. Share seven things about yourself
3. Pass this award along to 10 recently discovered blogs

7 Things About Myself:

1. I am madly in love with my husband of 3 years. We met in college and our first date was a dress up "80's" night of bowling. Yes, he wore purple spandax and I had crimped hair. It was love at first sight! ha! Here is a picture of me getting ready for our date...And another of one of our first dates to the tulip festival... yeah, we are weirdos.

2. We have an 17 month old daughter named Avaree (pronounced same as Avery).  She has strawberry blonde hair and is very silly like her daddy. She knows sign language so she and I have been having "girl talk" since she was 6 months old :) Here is one of my favorite pics of her when she was about 6 months old..

3. I am a God-loving, Bible believing girl. I am continually learning what it means to let God be the lover of my soul. My faith in the Lord is the foundation of all I am and want to be. Its a journey and I have so much to learn.

4. I LOVE my family! I have 2 sisters, Kera and Katey. We are really close and love being together. My Momma is my closest friend and we talk every day. My Daddy is the wisest man I know and he has always taken care of us so well. Here is a pic of all the girls...


5. I have recently discovered that I am more creative than I thought. I didn't know how much I LOVE decorating, crafts, shabby things, etc. My Momma has hundreds of antiques passed down for generations. Seriously, my parents house is FULL-wall to wall with special pieces. I just started exploring ways to integrate the old things she loves with the updated style I love. Its special to have things passed down and be surrounded by family heirlooms.

6. I am trying to finish my Master's degree in Higher Education and Counseling... I am halfway finished but life and baby have pushed the pause button for now. :) I hope to someday work at a university with undergrad students as a residence director or dean. For now, I love being home with my Ava and focusing on other things like blogging, craft projects, and thrifting galore!

7. We just moved to the Bay Area from Southern Cali. We are getting settled and making friends but I feel like its the first day of Middle School sometimes... haha! I miss my "heart" friends... ya know, the ones who just get your heart. I love the opportunities here though... we have gone to baseball and football games, museums for kids, farms and pumpkin patches, the circus, and lots of family friendly fun! My sister lives on the next street over so I'm so thankful to have family close.

Here's to making new friends and new adventures!



So... thanks for the chance to share life together... Here are some blogs I have been getting to know to whom I would like to pass on this award... Feel free to grab a "I've been featured" button and pass on the fun!

1. Eisy Morgan
2. Ma Nouvelle Mode
3. Kimberlee Marie Interior Design
4. Crafted Niche
5. Hello Lovely Inc.
6. Simple Joys of Home
7. Life As A Thrifter
8. The Kurtz Corner


Kirstin Joy

My Fall Wreath

I shared a post last week highlighting some amazing fall wreath ideas. I was inspired to try one myself. Here is one that I made for my sister, Kera. She has it hanging above her mantle. It was so much fun! I used two different colors and textures of crocheting yarn to wrap around the styrofoam wreath form. The flowers are made from duck canvas and burlap with a little auburn sheer mixed in. I used the method described in my inspiration post last week to make the roses and secured them with hot glue. The whole thing took me less than 2 hours. I hope you will try one yourself!

Here's where I'm linking up this week....

;

 

A Pumpkin Patch Interruption..

Hi friends!

I wanted to finish my series on my love for "old" things... BUT I couldn't resist posting some pictures from our family trip to the pumpkin patch this weekend. Nana and Papa came to visit and we took Avaree to pick out some pumpkins and take some fall family pics. I remember when we took her last year she could hardly sit up on her own for a picture! Its so surreal to be repeating seasons in her life now... How can she have gotten so big already! This time she was climbing up the haystack pyramid by herself and throwing the hay above her head... laughing the whole time.

It has been raining yesterday and today, I love that it feels like FALL! We had chili and cornbread last night and put on a fire at my sister and brother-in-law's house. Pumpkins, cider, sweaters and scarves, scented candles, and pumpkin spice lattes. Welcome Autumn! So glad you are here! Thanks God for seasons...  A new season with a new beginning. It just feels right and blessed.

Welcome to Burlap & Buttons!

“Every day is a journey, and the journey itself is home.” -Matsuo Basho

Welcome to Burlap and Buttons!
Here's a bit about about myself, my family, our home, and my attempt to Blog about it all...

I have been married to my incredible husband, Tyler for four years. We have been blessed with a beautiful daughter, Avaree, who is almost 2 years old.

We desire to be a family who loves and serves the Lord in all we do.

{Photo Credit: Char Beck Photography}

Home has always been an important place to me- the place I can create for my family, and where we laugh and grow together, the place where our memories are made.  But, our life has been a whirlwind and we have moved seven times in less than four years.

 I have learned the true meaning of "home" truly lies with those you love and not where you live

I have always loved decorating and crafts but I never had the confidence to consider myself creative or artistic and we never had enough money to buy expensive home décor. So, when I started trying my own projects and thrifting, I started to realize I had lots of ideas. I decided to stop second-guessing my style and just go with what I LOVE. I started Burlap and Buttons simply as a way to show family and friends some of my projects and share about our life. I knew nothing about followers or link parties or sponsorship etc. As I’ve grown a bit I have realized that blogging is not only so much fun and a great outlet for me but that it comes with new friends and incredible opportunities. I even started selling some of my creations in an Etsy store! I’m honored by every follower or comment… 

My goal is to inspire others to keep creating HOME even if that might be a tiny space on a strict budget or a new apartment every year. 

Keep reading to find a bit more about the things that inspire me....

Old, Rustic, Chippy Things...

My love for antiques is passed down from my Mama... The house I grew up in is FULL of amazing pieces that have been in the family for years. Each picture, doily, chair, and vase has a story. I love to sit and hear Mama's stories of summer evenings chasing fireflies on the farm, picking raspberries in the garden, and canning jelly and pickles in the cellar.  I grew up surrounded by the faces of my family from years ago and antiques passed down for generations. I love the heritage of my family and know I am deeply rooted in faith and love as I look around at these "old" things passed down.

My Mama & Grandma in the garden on Mama's
17th Birthday. Mama and I restored this
red picnic table this summer and we still eat
out on the patio almost every summer evening at
Mama and Daddy's house.

My Grandpa who died before I was born...
 He made this clock and it has sat on my parent's mantle
since before I was born.
 





TO BE CONTINUED...