Title: Garden Party: Girls Night Out
Location: The Nesting Place
Link out: Click here
Description: You are cordially invited to our annual Garden Party. Special savings, chances to win fantastic door prizes, quick entertaining tips & recipes, decorating demonstrations and more! You’ll leave refreshed and inspired!
Start Time: 05:00
Date: 2010/06/17

This past weekend was the Birmingham Botanical Gardens ‘Glorious Gardens Tour’. If you’ve never treated yourself to this delightful extravagance, you’re missing some of Birmingham’s best kept secrets! It was Mother’s Day, so of course I invited my Mom.

Mom in Garden

We went to church and then had brunch at Mudtown (oh, my! you must go! We both had the French Toast and highly recommend it!). We hurried home to change, jumped in the car with tickets, map, water and sunglasses (what a beautiful day to be outside!). We toured five private and two public gardens. Can I just say God is one amazing artist! I’m speechless (among other things). And the talent, vision and dedication of these Master Gardeners and Garden Architects…wow! I left energized, inspired and amazed. Each garden unique. Each one with it’s own character and personality. Each one glorious. I can’t help thinking about God’s unique and beautiful purpose for each individual person he so carefully thought out and created. On purpose. With much devotion and love. (again, I’m speechless). I took some pictures, but I’m telling you it’s nothing like seeing it live.. in vivid high definition color. It was one of those rare and perfect days. Happy Mother’s Day, Mom – I love you.

Fountain (of youth?)

Perfect Roses

Perennial Border

Inside pool house (yes, I took pictures through the windows!)

The floor is tiled in pebbles! Amazing.

Fire pit side yard - is this really still the same yard?!

Bermuda grass makes great looking pot mulch!

Formal English Garden (yes, same yard! they have everything!)

Beautiful mosaic.

Iron, glass, ceramic...it's all in there!

Who Doesn’t like a Sale?

Every year The Nesting Place hosts a May Sidewalk Sale. Always on Mother’s Day weekend and always an amazing two days! This year: Fri May 7 & Sat May 8 (mark your calendar!). It’s like spring cleaning for us. And the purging of inventory from seasons past feels almost as good as a dip in the pool after working in the yard all day

We’re pulling back our curtained wall and transforming storage space into an InSideWalk Sale (thank heavens for the extra space!). We’re blessed to be in a new space this year and we’re already busting at the seams.

Unpacking boxes, moving displays and making signs …we’re in GO MODE and you won’t believe what we’re finding! (What would I do without my team – these ladies amaze me, I’m so grateful!)

Here’s Patti getting the process started – she’s incredible and I treasure everything about her.

We can hardly wait to see you, so please stop by. You might be surprised what else we put on sale!

Title: Sidewalk Sale in Cahaba Heights
Location: The Nesting Place and other area merchants
Link out: Click here
Description: HUGE Sidewalk Sale – We’re doing major spring cleaning to make room for fresh new spring and summer merchandise. Get fantastic discounts on past season items – you won’t believe what we’re finding – and you may be surprised what else we might put on sale. 2 Days Only! Fri and Sat, May 7 & 8.
Start Date: 2010-05-07
Start Time: 10:00
End Date: 2010-05-08
End Time: 16:00

Title: Mother’s Day Event in Cahaba Heights
Location: Serendipity Boutique & Other Merchants in Cahaba Heights
Link out: Click here
Description: 3 Day Event at Serendipity Boutique…MakeOvers and Trunk Shows – Sales and Bargains galore! Come see what Serendipity, The Nesting Place, Clutter Prescription, Flower Buds, In The Making and others have going on! Great time to be with mom or buy for mom.
Start Date: 2010-04-29
Start Time: 10:00
End Date: 2010-05-01
End Time: 16:00

Beautiful Lady in Nepal - taking basket of peas to Kathmadu to sell.

In October I traveled to Nepal on a mission trip – the first I’ve ever been on. It was an experience like no other, in so many ways… it seriously just blew my mind, my heart and my faith! There are only three words I have to describe it all: IN-CRED-IBLE! And maybe WOW! Honestly words cannot express the journey of a person like me on a trip like this. I’m humbled by it. I’m amazed, and grateful, and keenly aware of God’s unfailing LOVE. Our expedition started in Kathmandu (one of the filthiest and poorest cities I’ve ever seen). There we met our missionary traveling partners and ‘ranch’ kids who would be part of our team for a 4 day hike into the Himilayan Mountains (home of Mt. Everest…which we didn’t get to see, but I’m certain looks much like the snow cap mountains we did see). Three more words: A-MAZE-ING! I could go on, and on, but maybe these pictures tell a thousand words each, which I cannot conjure.

Lest it be said:
Isaiah 55:10-11
As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. – GOD

Beautiful Smile

Night 3 of our hike - We stayed with this sweet family. Three little girls growing up on top of the world on a modest farm.

More pics are here .

My Friends and Me

It was just the right thing to do at halloween…the right night to do it.. and the perfect mix of friends and neighbors (okay, they are ALL neighbors who are great friends – how blessed am I?) With taco soup on the stove and our pile of pumpkins on the deck, we each gutted and cleaned out our favored gourds, took them into surgery and unveiled the results with a photo op in the dark. A motley crew for sure… and kudos to our first time pumpkin carvers!!!! Look at the talent on my little street!

Susan, me and the Great Pumpkins

Jordan, Krista, Susan & me - and the jacks of all.

After - WOW!

I’ll take two nights and three days, please! And I don’t think I’d ever leave!!! This is one of the most comforting rooms I’ve ever seen. It’s a beautiful balance of layout, form and texture. Maybe it’s the geometric pattern on the canopy, but something about this room makes everything in me smile.

Before

Hot Gifts:

1. The Personalized Front Door Ornament

2. The Janet Basket

3. Heartfelt Traditions Pottery

4. Etta B Pottery

5. Nativity Sets

6. Monogrammed Robes, Wraps & Cosmetic Bags

7. Emilie Sloane coinlet & wristlet

I do…but not the kind you’re probably thinking. When I was a child, I wouldn’t go near the sandboxes on the playground! They were always wet and the sand would stick to my hands, my legs, my clothes and get in my shoes…the toys seemed dirty and most were nasty, old, cracked and faded plastic containers from someone’s kitchen. Ewe! Instead I like the proverbial kind – where I find or build one and call out for you all to join me there! Sharing, talking, laughing, playing, dreaming, and building something together!!

I want one of these t-shirts!!

How much better can it get?!!!

Today I’ve learned to embrace the sand even when it gets in my hair! Annoying sometimes? – yes. But worth it all when you can see the grandiose castle we just made! together.