Bright, Sunshine-y Day

I was craving a little yellow in my life... 

so I created an Etsy treasury. 

Here's the link, in case you would like to 

take a closer peek at some of the items. 

I know that I'm tempted to do a little sunshine shopping - 

but I gave in to an Etsy temptation last week and ordered 

some pretty cushion covers for our living room. 

I can't wait until they arrive... 

but for now, this treasury will be my dose of yellow. 

 Enjoy!

Good Thrift Hit.

I went grocery shopping this morning (yay!) and Mom and I decided to check out two local consignment shops before we headed home. Am I ever glad that we did! 

I picked up three sweaters, in what may possibly be my go-to colour combination: olive, mustard, and oatmeal. It's so classic, but a little bit trendy, too. It's my Anthro style on a budget :) The sweaters are all in excellent condition, and were all $5 or less.

The bottom two sweater are cardigans... my fave, as you know, and they'll be part of my easing-my-way-into-spring wardrobe. The polka-dotted olive and cream one is a pullover, lightweight sweater.

 

I also found two adorable pairs of teensy, weensy shoes for my friend Janelle. Well, not for her... for her very soon-to-be little baby boy. :) They were both under $2 and never worn. Score!

Did you find any little thrifted treasures this weekend? Do share!

Giveaway Winner

 I had Daniel draw a name out of our giveaway entries last night, and here's who came out the winner:

Congratulations, Michelle! I'll be e-mailing you tonight to get your mailing address. Thanks for entering, everyone!

The most popular month? July! It won by a landslide. Personally, I love September... it's a perfect balance of the best things from summer and fall. It's plenty warm enough for fun outdoor activities, but the evenings are chilly and great for cozy nights in, or outside by a campfire. September is also the beginning of cardigan weather :)

I hope that you all have a lovely weekend! I have a super busy one ahead - I'm excited!

Happy Friday!

Reminder...

Something to Think About.

I read this message last week and knew I had to share it with someone else. I don't know about you, but it sure struck a chord within my heart. It's time for me to take some risks... we get so complacent and set in our ways that we forget that we have so many options in life. The statement that jumped out most at me was

make a difference.

How can you push that aside? It doesn't have to be a huge world change, it can be as simple as making a positive change in someone's life.

Think about that. A positive change in someone's life. Don't you want to make that difference? Take a risk. Put yourself out there. Let go of your fear of the unknown. I'm certainly going to give it a try.

... and don't forget to enter the giveaway :)

hello day.

Hello Wednesday.

Hello sleep in.

Hello puppy.

Hello smoothie.

Hello daily reading calendar.

Hello shower.

Hello laundry.

Hello clean sheets.

Hello darling off early.

Hello take-out lunch.

Hello paper purging.

Hello recycleables.

Hello tidy living room.

Hello new lip stain.

Hello chili supper.

Hello drive with Mom.

Hello library.

Hello brother.

Hello drive home.

Hello comfy couch.

Hello pretty summer photos.

Hello beautiful cloud shot.

Hello blog.

Hello.

Remember to leave a giveaway comment!

Etsy Faves

Do you want to take a peek at my current Etsy faves? 

... I knew you did. 

Here, take a look! Don't blame me if you end up shopping a little :)

A little thought...

(Don't forget to enter the giveaway!)

Polyvore Loves

It's one of my favourite posts of the week - Polyvore Loves!

Each week(ish), I use Polyvore to create a dreamy outfit to inspire us ladies out of our hum-drum ways. Here's to hoping it makes you take a second look at items you've been neglecting in your closet.

I wanted to daydream a little this time with Polyvore Loves, and I created a series of vacation outfits. Maybe you are lucky enough to get to go on a little sunny vacation, but we're stuck here at home this winter... well, make that every winter :) As much as I adore the snow and all of the cute winter accessories (leggings, cardigans, toques, oh my!), I'm ready for some cute sundresses and stylish warm weather wear. I think that these outfits help to prove that you can look cute, chic, and modest in summer wear - how's that for a terrific combination?!

Maybe something you see within these outfits will
spark some interest with you - 

whether for your dreamy vacation, or dream vacation. 

Enjoy!

Giveaway!

It's time for a giveaway!

I was browsing in one of my favourite stores a few weeks ago, and I knew that I had to hold a giveaway when I saw this adorable sticky note pack - it's the prettiest combination of soft pastels and shabby chicness. Just looking at these paper makes me wish for some signs of spring!

 

When I went to take a photo of the paper pack, I thought... "Hey, lame-o. I need to add some more little goodies to make this worth it." So... I went through some of my scrap-booking stash, and came up with a little treat or two to share with you:

The supplies include: Love, Elsie stickers, Martha Stewart lace borders, Anna Griffin ribbon pack, labels, two packs of rhinestones, Hello Kitty stickers, and two red and white baker's twine spools. You don't need to scrapbook in order to use these goodies - they can dress up a present or snail mail, too. Yay!

Everyone is welcome to enter this giveaway, even if you have won here before. We're all on equal terms here at Polka Dot Soup. 

Here's how to enter:

Leave a blog comment or Facebook message 

Tell me your favourite month and why

Include your name and e-mail address

Giveaway closes Thursday, February 24th at 11 pm AST

The giveaway winner will be announced here on Friday. I can't wait to hear your answers. Good luck!

Shooting some b-ball...

Over the past two months, 

I've spent more time in school gyms than I did during all of my school years. 

I'm serious. 

Daniel taught the junior high boys' basketball team, which my youngest brother was on. My middle brother plays high school basketball, and he's on a great team. Between the two age groups, I've been spending a lot of afternoons and evenings sitting in the bleachers. I could pretty much be a ref by now... ha ha ha. It is kind of neat to go from a totally un-sport-educated girl, to a chick in the know. I've got my basketball terms up my sleeve, ready to whip out when the opportunity arises. :)

Daniel's team finished up on Monday, but the high school team is still going.

They have qualifiers for provincials next weekend, which they are hosting at their school. The following weekend is provincials... which I hope they make it to. It's within driving distance, so it will be fun to watch them. They got their spiffy new jackets today, and boy, do they look classy!

So that's a little heads up for you as to how I've been spending my time. I thought you might like a little peek into my daily life. I'm trying to learn the fine balance for blogging: sharing personal life and experiences, but not sharing too much.

I hope you have an awesome weekend - I have a giveaway coming up for you on Monday!

Birthday Boy

It's my number one boy's birthday today.

I'm not going to gush... but seriously? 

Cutest husband ever.

Happy birthday, darling.

Scentastic

Daniel was is the best at picking out cute stocking stuffers at Christmas time. He knows exactly what I like, and when I ooo-ed and ahhhed this past Christmas over all of the absolutely fantastic packaging and product design, he confessed that that's one of the things he looks for. I love pretty packaging... he knows my style so well :)

One of my stocking stuffers was a cute candle in pretty, simple packaging. After I burned it, I knew that I had to pick up more. The scent is wonderful!

Daniel told me where he bought the candle, and I took a little trip to buy another one. When I arrived, they were having a 50% off sale - so I bought two! The fresh grapefruit scent is perfect for the bathroom or kitchen. I love lighting it in the kitchen after I have everything cleaned up for the night... it makes the room feel extra clean :)

Do you have any candle scents or brands that you favour?

Vintage Laundry

I created an Etsy Treasury last week in an attempt to get my laundry room inspiration all gathered together. I just took a screen shot of the treasury, but here's the link if you would like to get a closer look at the items.

Our laundry room renovation is finally complete. Right now, it's a blank slate: white walls, white shelves, and a fairly dark floor. Since we are only here temporarily, of course it isn't my dream room, but we're thankful for having our own laundry facilities - and I'm so happy we went with white!

I would love to have a vintage-rustic-industrial chic look for this room. That was how I envisioned it from the very beginning. Old crates and metal bins holding all of the necessities - how classy would that look? I love the idea of simple artwork: the feather photo is dreamy, and the set of skeleton keys would look terrific mounted on a burlap-covered canvas.

Have you be brainstorming any decor ideas for around your home lately?

Angry Mouth.

image via weheartit

I woke up during the night with some icky-yicky tooth pain.
I don't normally have any problems with my teeth,
so I knew that I needed to check it out ASAP.
My dentist managed to fit me in between patients today,
and boy, do I have a mean party going on in my mouth!
I have an abscess tooth on my top left side,
and directly below it, a tooth that needs a root canal.
No wonder I was feeling so sore!
At least I get a trip to the big city out of it in the next three weeks! :)
Now that I'm all loaded up on Advil,
I'm going to chill for the evening with my hubby.
The combination of Advil + Daniel should help with the pain :)

If you have any funny teeth stories, please share them. 

If you have any dentist horror stories, please don't share them.

Happy Tuesday!

Day of Love

This is how God showed his love among us:
He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.

This is love: not that we loved God,
but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 

1 John 4:9-11

Happy Love Day! Go out and spend it with the darlings in your life.
Don't forget to call your parents, too :)
It's not just for lovers - it's for everyone that is near and dear to your heart.

I love you, friends! Thanks for sharing this blog with me.

xoxo

Thrifty Thursday

This Thrifty Thursday, I have some real cuties to share with you!

 On Monday, Value Village held a 50% off day, so my parents and I headed down to scope out the bargains. I had a gift certificate that had been burning a hole in my wallet since November. I wasn't expecting much, as I haven't bought anything there in quite a few visits. Little did I know...

I found two pairs of shoes, both new with tags. The first pair was $100 - and I bought them for $5! The second pair was $60, and I bought them for $5 as well. I also found a great assortment of adorable baby clothes for my friend Janelle (yay!), and a few home decor items that I will share soon.

Take a peek at my pretty shoes:

Cute, eh? I was pumped - pretty shoes that fit perfectly,
and are comfy, wearable ones, too!

(P.S. Can we not talk about how dirty my table is?
I was up crafting on it the night before, so there are paper cutting and glue smudges all over it. I know now you are going to scroll back up. Don't. Just look the other way, mmkay? Thanks.)

Have you thrifted anything wonderful lately?

Fab Colours.

When I was getting ready for the day yesterday, 

I realized that I have a new favourite colour combination:

This combination is no grand epiphany, but I enjoy it, nonetheless. It's classic, in a classic trench and trousers sort of way. It's nautical, and fun, too. 
Is that not the best combination ever? A little nautical fun sounds good to me.

I wore a white jersey-knit shirt with narrow navy stripes (breton stripes?),
an olive drapey cardigan, and dark trouser jeans.
I felt all grown up... but comfortable, too.
I'm going to find new ways to rock this colour combination - since
olive and navy are new colours for me and my wardrobe.
Hmmm, perhaps a little shopping adventure in the near future? :)

Happy Thursday!

Eye Candy.

I have some serious home decor eye candy for you! I love looking for new ideas for my home, and I'm sure that you do too!

Yesterday, Apartment Therapy posted two adorable bedroom makeovers that really caught my attention for two reasons: one, they were both under $100 aka budget friendly; and two, they are both fantastic! Keep in mind that these are purely inspiring makeovers - you don't need to love all aspects of the rooms, but the general styling is beautiful.

 

The first makeover:

A New Angle on the Bedroom

 

 image via Apartment Therapy

 The second makeover:

The $70 Bedroom Makeover

image via Apartment Therapy

Take a few minutes to visit the links, I don't think that you will be disappointed.

Pretty L'il Blog Update.

 

Hello lovely readers!

I've made a couple of pretty little changes around the blog. I'm happy that it looks so much more cohesive now - I was striving for a simple, classy design with a big dollop of cuteness. I'm a total non-techie, so if I can mess around with my own blog, anyone can make alterations to their own. All it took was a little tinkering and some help from Powered by Pastries.
Not bad, if I do say so :)

Let me know what you think!

Polyvore Loves

It's Polyvore Loves time!

This week, I'm featuring a fun "quirky lady" outfit. This set has classic, vintage look pieces that are updated, modernized, and funkified...

A trench? Classic. Puffed shoulders and a bowed belt? Updated.

Retro print dress? Classic. Cropped length and gold belt? Modernized.

Gold studs? Classic. Oversized gold studs? Funkified.

Cross-body handbag? Classic. Ruffled, studded, and chained? Updated.

Braided leather bracelet? Classic. Unexpected colour, gold chain intertwined? Modernized.

Ladylike booties? Classic. Flipped cuff and low heel? Funkified.

I hope this inspires you to take a look at the classics in your closet and bring them up to date. Why go to the mall when you can shop in your own closet?

Commission.

Isn't it wonderful how things fall into place?

After posting last week about the series of paintings that I'm selling, my friend contacted me and wanted a commissioned piece. She loved the "love" painting, but need it in different colours. I tackled it last night, and I'm pleased with the results:

... and a closer shot:

I hope that she loves it! 

Let me know if there is anything that you are interested in - I'll try to make it happen! I can't wait to get my shop opened again!

Soundtrack for You

Hello, loves! I hope you had a smashing weekend. Mine had a little of this, a little of that - basically quiet. Today's certainly making up for it, though - I'll share more with you later.

I made a little mix tape for you to chill out to this afternoon. It's teensy - seven songs - but I'm sure that you are going to like my choices. I hope you turn up your volume and enjoy it!

Happy Monday!

Create a playlist at MixPod.com

The Perfect Blueberry Muffin

I don't think I've shared this recipe with you before, so take a look at this:

The best blueberry muffin recipe ever is from Smitten Kitchen. Please check it out... it may appear to be similar to ones that you've tried before, but this recipe has never failed me. Never. That's a lot to say about a muffin recipe. 

These muffins have the perfect amount of lemon and sweetness. Also, they are wonderfully moist and don't dry out quickly - I made these on Wednesday, and heated one up for a snack this afternoon. The batch size is great, too - it usually makes nine or ten, so it's not a ginormous batch. Give them a go - you won't be disappointed!

Card It. Again.

Hello friends!

I finished up the Valentine's Day cards for my pals... and I thought that you might like a peek. 

I've been trying to use up my scrap box (a shoebox full of bits of paper) so that the poor little box can have a fresh start. These cards are made entirely from those bits and pieces. I did bust out an unopened package of 3-D stickers, though :) They had to be a little bit festive. The cards aren't necessarily "Valentine's Day appropriate", but they are all girly and cute... that's what matters :) 

Take a look...

I'm trying my very best to not purchase new scrapbooking supplies. Since we've moved, I've become more aware of all of the little supply stashes I had everywhere. I purchased some items to use for my Etsy update last night, but other than that, I'm going cold-turkey. I have a little problem with hoarding supplies for the perfect project - I need to buckle down and make every project the perfect one :)

Have a lovely Friday!

Scrap It.

My friend Ciela got married over the summer months. We received a thank-you note and a wedding photo on Tuesday, so I decided to be super efficient and scrap it right away :) It really is the best way - I have a box or two of things that I've been meaning to make pages with. Umm... make that two or three. Those things include our honeymoon. Sad, I know... three and a half years later.  

Anyway... here's the page. Also, I took a few detail shots for your viewing pleasure...

Ciela and Vince also sent me my photo booth picture from the wedding reception. (Daniel had to work, so I was dateless.) It turned out pretty decent, if I do say so. The items from the box of fun accessories ended up going fairly well with my outfit...

Happy Thursday!