Where The Heart Is

I can't seem to remember where I first saw {q.a.}Design's artwork, but when I did, I knew I had to have it! They do very adorable prints of your favorite state, in many, many fun colors, and can include a heart over your favorite city or hometown! I naturally bought a print of Missouri with a heart over my hometown, Kansas City. I plan on displaying it lovingly in my bathroom where I can see it each morning. I bought the near perfect matching frame for next to nothing at Target. I love to having somewhat quirky and very personal things around the house. Really makes it feel like home.

Antiquing!!

I went "antiquing" today, in Ellicott City, MD. A very, very charming little historic city only about a 1/2 hour from Baltimore. Lots of stores had stuff sort of set on the sidewalk and as I was walking up the street, I came across a little cute and kitchy straw bag. Last summer, my straw purse, that I was completely in love with (and had been purchased for next to nothing at a sample sale), broke and was irreparable (I tried), so I've been on the hunt for a replacement this summer. The bag wasn't marked with a price, so I put it back down and went on my merry way. I happened back on it on the way back to my car and decided to go in the store and see how much it was. After haggling the store keeper down to $10 (an amazing deal, since it was in pristine condition and had a vinyl lining that I knew I could easily give a good cleaning to), turns out she only took cash. And I only had $3. So, I figured it wasn't meant to be and left to run some errands at the nearby Target. But while at Target, convinced myself that since I was going back home that way anyhow, to get some cash and see if it was still there. And what do you know, it was!! The store owner told me that two other people had been interested in it as well, but no one had cash on hand. I'm so happy I decided to go back and get it!! Life lesson #532: When antiquing, always bring cash.

A Summer Family Visit

Nephew Jack, plays outside in the water.

My sister Ashlie, with her twins, Caroline and Brooke, outside the St Louis Art Museum.

Baby Brooke suns herself.

The water lovers admire a fountain in the Central West End.

Caroline (yellow) and Brooke (purple) try out their new toothbrushes!

Just wanted to share a few pics from my recent visit back home. Haven't my nephew and nieces grown? We had such fun!!

Missouri Botanical Gardens; Sculptures by Chihuly

I recently returned from a visit across the great midwest. Managed to visit 4 states! Iowa, Illinois, Missouri and Kansas. Aren't you jealous?? Ha! I actually LOVE the midwest and consider it my home. It was great to be back there. I spent the longest amount of time visiting my sister and her family, near St Louis. She has quite the brood that requires (as all children do) constant entertainment. Which in the summer time, means outings!! I am my mother's daughter and love outings, so I didn't mind at all. One of day we ventured out to the Missouri Botanical Gardens. It's one of the loveliest places to visit in St Louis, in my opinion. They happen to have a dinosaur exhibit going on right now, called DinoQuest, so even my 3 year old nephew enjoyed it. And "ROAR"ed at us for the rest of the day. I, the wannabe art lover that I am, was very taken with the glass sculptures by Dave Chihuly that we featured in a few places in the garden. They were so vibrant and unexpected.