My Storey

Thankful for Family, Stella & Dot, Friends, and...

2011-11-13T18:52:00.000-05:00

I'm not going to make excuses as to why I've been missing for 9 months - instead, I'm going to just jump right back in. So much going on and so much to be grateful for during this special month where we are more in tune with having a heart of thanksgiving.

I am so thankful for a family that supports me, encourages me, and completes me! My parents moved to San Diego this past summer and the adjustment has been decent, but I am so eager to see them soon as the Holidays approach!

I found my dream job 2 and a 1/2 years ago with Stella & Dot. Stella & Dot has given me a creative outlet, flexibility by working from home, the opportunity to connect with so many other amazing and inspiring women, the ability to contribute to a large majority of the household expenses, and still have my fun fashion budget to play with!

If you're looking for a debt free Holiday, a creative outlet, new family room furniture, private school tuition, or even a new career then Stella & Dot could be the perfect fit for you! We are still such a young company and have so much room for growth and we need more reps for our line across the U.S., Canada, and the UK. Please message me if you're interested or if you know someone that may be interested.

I have the most fabulous girlfriends that laugh with me, cry with me, challenge me, and support me. God has truly blessed me with these two ladies and I am so thankful to be sharing so many amazing moments with them and their families.

I am thankful and feel so blessed to have our house. We are slowly, but surely turning it into our home! I absolutely love interior design and I learned from the best. I've been dreaming of this feature wall in my kitchen for the longest time and I finally stopped long enough to pull it all together. We still have many more spaces to complete, but I love the opportunity to put our touches into this home. I'll be sure to share more as we complete more spaces.

I'm thankful for so many blessings and I'm looking forward to the Holidays where I'll be able to share my gratitude with family and friends.

Spring Fever

2011-02-28T09:40:00.000-05:00

The new Spring Lily Pulitzer line of dresses has me longing for warmer weather, bright colors, and summer soirees. What are you longing for this Spring?

Dress - Lily Pulitzer Jewels - Stella & Dot Flowers - via Knot

Dress - Lily Pulitzer Jewels - Stella & Dot Shoes -previous JCrew

Dress - Lily Pulitzer Jewels - Stella & Dot Wallpaper - Graham & Brown

Here's to dreaming of warmer weather....

Adore....

2011-01-29T09:24:00.000-05:00

Adore is an Australian home and lifestyle magazine available exclusively online....and I do simply adore the design and inspiration created by designer Loni Parker. The new February/March issue has just launched and I'm loving all of the eye candy and I'm sure you will too...

I have a fascination with hints of hot pink - maybe because it's Pantone's color of the year? I'm hoping to add some punches of hot pink to my aqua office in the very near future.

And, what more can I say...black and white graphic typography! More love!

You're even able to purchase and download past issues....well worth it! Enjoy the yumminess and have a fabulous weekend!

Dreaming of Stripes...

2011-01-08T08:33:00.000-05:00

Everywhere I turn I seem to be drawn to shades of blue and stripes. Stripes and shades of navy show up each year at this same time as designer's launch their Resort lines, but for some reason this year is different than others for me. I can't get enough - pair them with a pencil skirt or dark denim and you have a timeless, classic look.

So while I'm dreaming of stripes, and quite frankly maybe it is my longing for warmer weather, I hope you all have a lovely weekend. I'm off to Dallas for our Stella & Dot Director's Conference where they are calling for snow on Sunday....doesn't look like my longing for warmer weather will happen, but I'll be sure to be sporting a navy stripe here and there!

1. J.Crew
2. Ann Taylor Loft
3. Kate Spade
4. Tory Burch

New Year, New You

2011-01-02T21:32:00.005-05:00

It's a New Year... New You! What are your goals, aspirations, or resolutions as we begin this new year?

For so many of us this is the time of year that we're able to reflect on the past and make our plans for how we're going to balance it all better in the future. For myself I have a renewed energy and excitement for the year to come.

My goals in no particular order for this year are...

to post here on a regular basis while also connecting with so many of you fellow fabulous bloggers - you all inspire me!

Stella & Dot Spring Sneak Peek + ModCloth dress

to empower other women to style their own life as they launch or manage their career as a Stella & Dot Stylist. Stella & Dot has provided me the opportunity to work at home full time, contribute to the family income, and the flexibility to be there for my family. I have high hopes and goals for the year to come and will be working hard with our team to help them meet their dreams as well!

2010 photography

to drastically expand my manual mode skills in photography...aperature, ISO, shutter speed, and so on! I desperately want to feel confident with my skills by the end of 2011!

family + friends

to build and nurture my relationships with God, my family, and dear friends.

Here's to an amazing & fabulous 2011!

I disappeared...

2011-01-01T19:51:00.000-05:00

and I'm trying to figure out how to transition back into the blogging world.

October was busy enjoying our amazingly warm weather, the start of our busy Stella & Dot season, Halloween fun, and the beginning of November was here before I could believe it.

On the morning of Friday, November 5th I was sleeping in late when I heard the doorbell ring. I was home alone (an absolute rare occurrence) and my mind instantly began to try and figure out who might be at the door at 9:00 a.m. - UPS, FedEx, Wyatt's neighborhood friends? No, too early. Joe had taken the day off from work, but actually had to head into work to get a couple of things finished up. The kids had the day off from school, but had spent the night at my in-laws because Joe and I had been out late the night before at The Zac Brown Band concert.

The doorbell rang a second time with a bit more determination and by then I was looking out the windows upstairs to see if there was a car - and then I heard the doorknob turning and footsteps in the entryway. My heart was racing and I started to head back to my bedroom to go grab the phone...

My mom was on the landing of the stairs and my heart was relieved at first, but then immediately I knew something was wrong. I headed down the stairs with the help of my mom because my legs weren't working so well and my mind started racing again. Was it Joe? Did he get in an accident on his way home from picking up the kids after work? Was it Dad? Then I saw my Dad at the bottom of the stairs waiting for me. Once I was on solid ground my parents told me the news I had worried I might hear some day.....

My little brother, Jon, had passed away. He lost his battle with addiction - a battle he fought for almost 1/2 of his life.

We spent the day together as a family on my couch with blankets, boxes of tissues, and plenty of chocolate. Joe took care of us all so well - making us soup and grilled cheese and any other food he could prepare as a comfort. We had some visitors - my dear girlfriends whose hearts broke for us and who I will forever be grateful for showing up at my front door and praying with us and our beloved "Aunt Sherry" who came immediately the minute she heard the news.

Five days later my mom shared our loss on her blog and we were so amazed by the outpouring of prayers, support, and comfort from friends, family, fellow bloggers, fellow addicts, and many others.

We celebrated Jon's life on November 20th with a Memorial Service. We celebrated his artistic talents, his sweet soul, his loving heart, and his deep desire to be free from his addiction. The words from the song Amazing Grace by Chris Tomlin couldn't be more true...His chains are gone and he's been set free.

As we begin a new year I'm still dealing with what we lost last year, but I'm so thankful for our family and friends that have supported us and continue to do so through prayer and love. I praise God for His promise (Romans 8:35-39) and am hopeful for the future.

So I'm officially transitioning back into the blogging world and look forward to sharing "our storey" with you in 2011. Happy New Year....

These are a few of my favorite things...

2010-10-18T14:42:00.008-04:00

chanel.com

I love the smell of gardenia's - light, airy, and a little sweet! Mmmm... what a joy to have found this fragrance a couple of year's ago - timeless, classic, with a touch of gardenia!

stelladot.com/jennstorey

Pearls...need I say more?!!! With my Little Black Dress or with my plaid shirt for a twist on the classic.

bareescentuals.com

Bare Escentuals Boxom lip gloss...these go with me everywhere I go!

image via art.com

Oh, how I love the beauty of the hydrangea! No matter if it is white, green, pink, or periwinkle - I adore them! They were in my bouquet on my wedding day and they are planted in our back yard around our patio. I plan to always surround myself with them!

and last, but not least...

celebrating life's amazing moments with friends I've known for more than 1/2 of my life!

I'd love to hear what tops your list of favorite things!

Match made in heaven...

2010-09-02T21:06:00.013-04:00

Ann...meet Stella & Dot!!!! I just know you all will love each other!

I am so over the moon in love with the new fall line from Ann Taylor Loft!

Ann has been catching my eye for a little while now, but now she has absolutely won me over. I don't know what to buy first and I already know which Stella & Dot jewels I would wear with my favorite looks!

Let's play dress up....

Wasn't that fun?!! Thanks for playing with me!

Hoopla 2010 - Stella & Dot

2010-08-19T09:09:00.023-04:00

It is amazing to think that it has been a little over 4 weeks since I returned from an unforgettable trip to San Francisco with Stella & Dot. Each July we celebrate a new Fall line, the accomplishments of the past year, and all of the excitement to expect in the coming year - and we call it Hoopla!

We do it all in style and by style I mean our passion and joy, because they are our most important accessories!

From the Fashion Show,

to the gorgeous jewels,

to the cocktail parties,
myself & Missy

our Virginia & Indiana team

to our amazing leaders,
Blythe, Jessica, and Mike

to the training,
Maya Brenner discussing upcoming releases

to our fabulous National Director of Training Danielle Redner,
Missy, myself, and Danielle

to our new friends we've met along the way,

to the wonderful city of San Francisco,

and to our Gala Event

where we celebrate with dinner,

awards,
and dancing!

I am leading a bold and joyful life as an Independent Stylist based out of Indianapolis. Our Stylists know what we want and we work for it. We inspire each other!

We love what we do - with all the challenges, achievements, and growth that comes with it.

Because we're in it to make a difference, not only in our lives, but in the lives of others.

I am so honored and excited to be a part of this young company and I want other women to be aware of the amazing opportunity so that she too can "style her own life".

We Are Family

2010-08-12T17:27:00.011-04:00

My very talented friend Loree of Loree Alayne Photography spent a couple hours with us back in June and created wonderful, artistic family photos that we will cherish forever. The photos were all taken on the grounds of the Lilly House at the Indianapolis Museum of Art - just spectacular!

She was able to capture photos of the four of us,

just me with the kids,

just Joe with the kids,

with all of us,

the kids with Mimi & Papa,

the cute couples,

and two of my all time favorites that captured the love and joy of our family

and my passion for fashion!

Thanks so much Loree - we love the photos and we love you!

Aquas, and Greens, and Our Front Door...Oh My!

2010-07-13T18:23:00.005-04:00

Wishing, and hoping, and thinking, and praying.... for an aqua & green abstract landscape painting for above our fireplace! And look at what we have now! This is just the start to our neutral palette with touches of aqua and green. I love it and can't wait to keep pulling the entire look together.

My amazingly talented mom, Paula Prass, is the artist behind our first piece of art in our new home! I can't think of a better way to begin an art collection than with a piece from my mom.

I found a set of aqua lamps with cream shades from our local Marshall's. I love the color and the distressed look of the base. I'm using one in the entryway below and the other one will be used in our dining room. I'll be adding more to both spaces and will be sure to take you along during the transformations.

Next on our list was an update to our front door. I had been inspired by another blog (one that I would link to if I could remember it!) and have a passion for typography, vintage signs, etc. So, this was the perfect project to cross off of our list quickly. I ordered the vinyl design from Uppercase Living and I'm so happy with how easy it was to apply as well as how well it turned out!

Clean and classic with a twist - just what I adore!

Matilda Jane Art Fair

2010-07-03T15:27:00.004-04:00

Last weekend was the Matilda Jane Art Fair that is held annually at the MJC warehouse. We took the opportunity to turn it into an excuse for a fun girl's weekend - and oh, did we have fun!

My friend Loree and myself were able to find all sorts of goodies! You had to grab what you could and look through your pile later to make final decisions. It was definitely every woman for herself!

While waiting in line my friend Missy and myself couldn't help but have a photo taken in front of this amazing backdrop. Love it!

We're almost there!!! The lines actually weren't as bad as I had thought they would be. It gave us time to all catch up while waiting.

We enjoyed our shopping with friends, ate lunch, took a little nap, and then we headed off to the MJC Cocktail Party at Denise and David's home. I was so impressed with Denise and David - they are just so down to earth and the most amazing host and hostess. I'm so glad that we were able to attend this part of the festivities.

What a fun filled weekend and I'm already looking forward to it next year! You may want to keep your eyes open too and not miss it next year!

Keep Calm & Carry On

2010-06-15T21:04:00.003-04:00

It seems like our summer is going to be jammed full and the first 2 weeks have been just that - packed! I keep reminding myself to stay focused and to manage my time wisely so that I can balance family, work, travel, and fun! What a perfect way to remember to not sweat the small stuff with this sitting area in my office!

Indianapolis Meet Stella & Dot!

2010-06-03T11:54:00.007-04:00

When opportunity knocks, let your Girlfriends in!!!

Whether you are new to my blog or have been reading since I first began you will quickly realize that I love my job - working as a Stella & Dot Independent Stylist. Stella & Dot has provided an amazing opportunity for me both financially & socially and I want others, like you, to not miss out on this opportunity!

So, if you'd like to hear more about the amazing opportunity, meet other area Stylists, and see the jewelry for yourself then please join us this Sunday, June 6th! Oh, and bring a friend -

Sunday, June 6th
4:00 - 5:00
Starbuck's
12465 N. Meridian Street
Carmel, IN
(corner of Meridian & W. Carmel Drive)

We'll fill you in on the June New Stylist Special, the new June capsule of jewelry that will be released on the 7th, and the exciting new Fall line that will launch in July. I can't think of a better time to join Stella & Dot!!!

I look forward to seeing you there and if you're out of town, but would still love to hear about the opportunity then just leave me a message and we'll talk!

Let's Make A Deal!

2010-05-25T19:05:00.009-04:00

Okay, so there are some of you out there that have been eager to see some photos of our new home! We still have plenty of empty wall space and more finishing touches to add, but this is at least a good start.

Just 2 weekends after we moved in I took a trip to the Outlet Stores in Ohio to help add some new decor to the spaces. I was so happy with my purchases and I just have to share with you my deals!

We'll start with the Kitchen Nook - do you remember this picture from my previous post?

I adore Ballard Designs and had my eye on some key pieces that I was hoping to score at the outlet. The light fixture was one of those items and I just love how it looks in our new space! Not only did I save on the cost of the fixture, but I saved on shipping - happy dance!

Next up is our new coffee table - I had debated on a slipcovered ottoman vs. a coffee table. Well, Ballard Designs Outlet delivered again and look at what we have here - just don't look too closely at all of the books on the bottom shelf (the WWE Encyclopedia is going to have to be cut from the mix)!

My next stop was Pottery Barn Outlet and I was just looking for accessories to help make this house our home. I found the deal of the year here and I couldn't be happier. We have a "command center" off of our kitchen that should probably be a space that is used for menu planning and all that other stuff that I know nothing about! Instead, I use this as my Stella & Dot hub because it is right in the midst of where the kids play. Just look at this piece - it is an office organization cabinet that fits perfectly into the space, but you know what the best part is? It was originally $399 and it was the special of the day for $50!

I'm also loving my large linen memo board which was another great find at the Pottery Barn Outlet. I'll be filling it up with inspiration and all things Stella & Dot! This is in my new office which happens to be just off of the front entry.

I'm looking forward to finishing this office space out - I'm thinking aquas, creams, and linens! Maybe even a feature wall with an amazing aqua wallpaper. Here's a little inspiration for you to see the vision for my office. What do you think?

My last stop was IKEA! The window treatments were such an amazing deal - I think $20 for each set of panels. I managed to fill an entire cart full of window treatments, lanterns, white pitchers, and many other fun accessories for our home.

Overall, it was the most success I've had during an outlet shopping trip. Now I just need to save up for the next one!

We love our new home and hope you enjoyed the mini tour. I'll plan to send updated photos once we get a little further along. I have so many ideas and just not enough time and money to complete the projects yet - but it will all happen soon enough!

Whirlwind!

2010-04-25T21:46:00.020-04:00

The last month has been a blur - an amazing blur that thankfully I captured with photos! We closed on our new home Monday, March 15th and took the rest of the week to move in and get somewhat settled.

Moving Day

I flew to Santa Monica the following Monday for a Glam Getaway trip that I earned with Stella & Dot. I was wined and dined with fellow Stylist's - the perfect way to relax after a busy move (just don't tell Joe)!

The Saturday after I returned from Santa Monica I headed with one of my best girlfriends to hit the outlets! These aren't just any outlets either! Pottery Barn, Ballard Designs, and then finished with IKEA! We packed my vehicle as full as we possibly could and I came home with so many fun treats. In fact, I'll need to dedicate an entire post to the purchases that have helped to make this house our home!

We hosted our first Easter dinner ever in our new home. My mom and dad were here for the Easter Egg hunt, Easter lunch, and a day full of fun that ended with an impromptu dinner of fully loaded nacho's for all. It was so fun and refreshing to just spend the day together with no other worries, deadlines, etc. in the way!

Ballard Love

2010-03-08T00:10:00.004-05:00

We're down to the final countdown of moving into our new home - just one week left! Naturally all I have been doing is dreaming of our new look! I've always been a big fan of Ballard Designs, but I'm loving how they have teamed up with House Beautiful and interior designer Suzanne Kasler.

Don't you just love the clean look of this laundry room - I might actually want to do the laundry if I had a space like this!

And how about this calming, comfortable master bedroom. I'm just drawn to white right now and think it is so calming!

I love the styling of the bookcases and hope to duplicate this look, but on a much smaller scale in our new kitchen nook area.

It will take us some time to get settled and then we'll begin making our trips to Ballard Designs Outlet, Pottery Barn Outlet, and maybe even IKEA! We'll be sure to take you along while we make our new house our home.

New Home Inspiration

2010-02-16T10:02:00.004-05:00

via Sweet as a Candy

In less than 4 weeks we'll be moving into our new home!

I can hardly wait and am so excited to begin the design and decor process. Of course, I've been saving images for inspiration as I've decided to not stick completely with my current look.

I currently have a subtle French Country feel to my home with a mix of bold colors, but I'd like to convert over to a more neutral mix of whites, distressed furniture, sparkly chandeliers, galvanized tin - with splashes of green and maybe aqua blue.

via The Lettered Cottage

We'll have wood floors throughout the first floor with an open floor concept. I think I am the most excited about the mud room - a room I have longed for! I can already picture large gatherings of friends and family in our new space!

If you have any suggestions of great places to begin shopping - either online or in the Indianapolis area then I would love to hear from you!

I apologize that I didn't save where I found the above images - I would love to give them credit. If you happen to know then please share and I'll update with links!

Indianapolis Fox59 Stella & Dot Interview!

2010-01-25T21:09:00.005-05:00

My interview with Fox59 about my experience with Stella & Dot went off without a hitch! Joe came home early from work and we all anxiously sat and waited for the Female Focus segment. I am happy with how it turned out and amazed at how well they pulled it together based on how many times they probably had to edit us!

It is going to air again on the morning show and then it will be available on the website. Once it is updated on the Fox59 website I will be sure to add it here for you all to see as well!

Thanks for all of your well wishes - it was fun receiving emails and phone calls today leading up to the airing of it and afterwards! One of my BFF's called and said she was in her family room by herself clapping when it was over! Ahhhh... how fun?!!!

Fox 59 News Female Focus Interview!

2010-01-24T21:53:00.005-05:00

So I received a call on Wednesday for an interview to take place the next morning in my office! It is for a Female Focus segment on our local Fox 59 News with Angela Ganote. The focus for the segment is the amazing flexibility that Stella & Dot has given me to be able to work with financial success, but also stay at home full time with the kids. What a great opportunity, right?!!

I was thrilled, but all I could think of is that the office is the one space in my house that I have never decorated. The office used to be the guest bedroom, but when my Stella & Dot business took off I had to convert it into my office with random lamps, desks, etc.!

Thankfully I was able to pull off a space that I was proud of and also inspired by - I should have done this a long time ago.

Amelia also has her own little desk space in my office and she was here for the interview as well - oh yeah! I'm very interested in seeing what complete sentences I was able to finish without a colored picture being handed to me by her or her correcting one of my answers. I made the mistake of mentioning that Stella & Dot gave me the flexibility to work in the morning if I wanted and maybe go to the Children's Museum with Amelia in the afternoon - it was just a for instance, but Amelia whipped around and made sure to make note that it had not happened yet!

I'm anxious and a little nervous to see how it all turns out! It should be airing within the next week so I'll be sure to follow up and possibly post the link (if I haven't embarrassed myself too much!).

Stella & Dot has created my true dream job and brought along with it so many wonderful opportunities. The company is growing and we just hired the Sr. Designer from Kate Spade to join Blythe's design team - absolutely amazing! I'll leave you with a great promotion we are currently running till the end of the month (only 6 more days) which gives an additional $100 in free jewels when signing up to become a Stylist. You can contact me directly and I would be happy to answer any questions you may have!

My Baby is 5!

2010-01-23T22:53:00.013-05:00

It is so hard to believe that Amelia is 5 years old. The years have flown by and it was so fun to celebrate her special day - she was so excited. We agreed on a "Cupcake Decorating" party and it was actually quite fun. The kids made the cutest little cupcakes - perfect for capturing on film!

Amelia has a love of all things girly. It was fitting that she received lip gloss, stickers, hair bows, jewelry, and her first jewelry box (she actually received 2!). Hmmm... wonder why she loves jewelry so much?!!!

We kept the celebration going into the evening by heading to a local Greek restaurant with Mimi and Papa.

What fun - the kids love yelling "opa"! Can you see Amelia's excitement?

Amelia was even able to fit in a belly dancing lesson - notice the new shiny red shoes?

It was such a wonderful day and she had a blast! So fun to spend such a special day with friends and family - we love you Amelia!

I'm Back.............

2010-01-21T21:13:00.015-05:00

So, I disappeared (not intentionally) during October, November, and December.

Let's try to get caught back up! It has been a whirlwind around here, but I'll do my best to recap one quarter of the year in one post - as briefly as possible and with photos of course!

We'll stick with chronological order - how about that? Ready, let's go!

Stella & Dot Holiday Season

October was the beginning of the best selling season of the year and it also happened to be my first Holiday season with Stella & Dot. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I had an average of 6 shows booked each month so I stayed busier than normal. It was so successful but more importantly it was fun, fun, fun!

Halloween

Wyatt as Michael Jackson & Amelia as Thumblina
with Mimi & Papa

Wyatt had Michael's dance moves down and was happy to break into moonwalking upon request. Amelia was a cute little Thumblina, but quickly had to change into warmer clothes because it was cold that night!

Big Change

October brought one of the toughest decisions I've had to make in my life. After working with my mom for five amazing years, I made the bittersweet change to stay home full time while pursuing my growing Stella & Dot business. While we all knew it is was the best decision for our family, I still struggled with the transition. Of course, mom has been so understanding and is one of my biggest cheerleaders. Thanks mom!

Our Home - For Sale

We found a spec home that we really loved and decided to make the jump to put our house on the market. If our home sells, then we'll plan to pursue purchasing the spec home and if that spec home sells before our home does then maybe we'll just build that spec ourselves. We'll see, but I can tell you I am so ready for a basement and a mud room!

Christmas

It was here before we knew it! The kids were so excited and it really is all about them - it is so wonderful to see the joy on their faces. We did our best to remind them of what the season is really all about, but we didn't bake our Birthday cake for Jesus this year like we have in previous years. We'll have to make sure not to miss that again next year - you'll have to hold us accountable for next year, okay?!

New Year's Eve

Basement and Mud Room here we come! What a way to finish the year! We accepted an offer on our home on New Year's Eve day after our home was on the market for just 35 days. What a surprise!

We celebrated that evening with our bestest friends Kelly and Jansen - again, the perfect ending to an year full of changes that we never anticipated.

We are hopeful and eager to see what 2010 brings to all of us.

Where Has The Time Gone?!!!

2009-09-28T22:27:00.012-04:00

So much has taken place over the last month - I'll share our story with photos!

We celebrated Wyatt's 7th Birthday on August 29th - a little retro bowling theme!!!

Amelia started Pre-K and on days that she doesn't have school we try to keep her busy with play dates and running errands!

Our entire family participated in a 5K Race. Joe beat his record and my dad and Wyatt finished in 30 minutes. Wyatt was the youngest runner to finish the race - I can't even keep up with him, but I'll blame that on the fact that I was pushing Amelia in the jogging stroller! What a fun way to start the day with our family though! We'll have to do it more often this Fall.

Oh, and Wyatt now has lost his two front teeth - so cute!!!!

Us adults found some time to get away and enjoy Kenny Chesney in concert for the 2nd year in a row! Good times, good friends, good music!

We are in the middle of preparations for Quilt Market where mom will debut her 3rd line of fabrics named Woodland Delight along with sneak peeks of her clothing patterns that will become available soon as well. The fit sessions have been absolute torture with Amelia - depending on her mood, trying to get her to stand still for measuring and pinning, etc. has been a challenge! I'll post pictures later, but I can't now because it will ruin the surprise! I can tell you that the patterns are amazing and there are adult ones too. If you're headed to Quilt Market I'll be sporting a couple of her designs!

Stella & Dot has been doing so well - I love this line of jewelry and am so happy to have this amazing ground floor opportunity! I just returned from Chicago this weekend with more training for booking trunk shows, sponsoring new Stylists, and so on. Here is a portion of the wonderful Indiana team that I get to work with on a daily basis!

Fall is our busy season and I'm looking forward to it. We've been in the press lately so you might recognize this image from the recent In Style publication! Be sure to head over to my website if you're interested in purchasing that oh so perfect piece of jewelry for the Holidays or if you are interested in the amazing opportunity with Stella & Dot!

Hopefully I can get back here before another month fly's by - bye for now!

Pretty Package

2009-08-28T23:02:00.003-04:00

How fun to receive this cute package today! I had ordered this through my new friend Emily, who is our local Matilda Jane Trunk Show Keeper, and it arrived today. Don't you just love to open a pretty package?

You can see the cute card that came with it and I happened to place my order in time to receive the most adorable Matilda Jane tote! The dress is fresh out of it's packaging and will need to be fluffed and ironed before my Amelia can wear it, but it should look a little something like this!

I really do love Fall fashion - whether it is for me or Amelia! I can't wait for her to wear this - I even have the perfect little brown leggings to coordinate for when the weather starts to get a little colder!

Enjoy your Fall shopping and I'll be sure to share some of my new favorite looks soon (if you know me well enough you'll know JCrew is at the top of my list!)!!!!

Time Flies....

2009-08-18T00:06:00.006-04:00

So hard to believe that we were just doing this,

this,

and this

a week and a half ago with my dear friend Loree and her kiddos at her mom's lake house!

And now we're already doing this,

this,

and this!

The summer flew by and now we're already back to school. Wyatt
started first grade this year and rode the bus for the first time - lots of firsts!

I can say that I am ready for Fall - I love the season, the fashion, and the beginning of a new chapter in our lives! Here's to the Fall!

What A Whirlwind?!

2009-07-28T00:24:00.012-04:00

Our lives have been so busy and I hate that my blog is being neglected! I don't want to lose your interest, but I'm having trouble trying to balance it all. So, this post is going to be all over the place in order to catch you up on what we've been up to.

First up - family getaway to King's Island and Great Wolf Lodge! The kids had so much fun and this was our first vacation together since Amelia was 4 months old!

The moment we arrived and had the kids on their first ride a huge storm hit and the kids got soaked!

I thought I'd share this photo with you in case you're ever wondering what my hair looks like after a storm!

Next up was my trip to San Francisco for the Stella & Dot Hoopla convention where the Fall line was debuted! Oh, this was the most wonderful business trip I have ever been on and I can't wait to go back next year!

Blythe - Chief Creative Officer & Jessica - Founder & CEO

My Team with Danielle (The Director of Training)

And last, but not least I came home to my kiddos and took them to get haircuts the day after I was back from Hoopla. My babies aren't babies anymore!

Have a great week and I promise to update you more consistently! I've seen some amazing Fall must haves for my wardrobe so I might share those things next time!

4th of July

2009-07-07T00:00:00.003-04:00

4th of July for us was rainy, rainy, rainy! We were able to make it to the parade in the morning, but the fireworks were postponed to last night. The kids love the parade - mainly because candy is being thrown at them for over an hour. What more could a kid want?!

Wyatt has a new fascination with Michael Jackson and so he popped out his rendition of the moonwalk while one of the cars in the parade was playing "Billy Jean". He had quite a few people laughing and that is just what that boy loves - to entertain!

Isn't she adorable? I had to snap this photo and was able to catch up with her parents afterward to get their contact info so that I could send them some copies.

Hope you all had a wonderful 4th celebrating our freedom with family and friends!

Run, Don't Walk...

2009-07-04T01:55:00.008-04:00

to Target!!!!

I had not been to Target in at least a month - that is a long time, you know?! Well, Joe and I were able to go today sans kids and boy did I find some amazing pieces.

Here is just a sampling - enjoy!

And I could not pass up buying this piggy bank for Amelia's room - we're going to be updating her room with the new Summer Soiree fabrics and this will fit in perfectly. Amelia immediately named her "Sally" and began filling her up with change from her stash (her stash = daddy's change drawer!). She's no dummy!

So, while you are out and about this weekend I would highly suggest stopping by Target!

Loree Alayne Photography + Nurture Event

2009-07-02T01:25:00.004-04:00

My amazing photographer friend, Loree of Loree Alayne Photography, has teamed up with Nurture for an exciting event. Loree is the mastermind behind my fami ly's wonderful photos.

Nurture is a fabulous new store for babies/kids age 0-6yrs. The store is located downtown on Mass Ave. The owner of Nurture also owns Silver in the City and At home in the city (two very cool stores). So here is the scoop .... Loree will be doing free photo sessions at Nurture (inside the store and at surrounding outdoor locations) on Aug 7th and 8th. To qualify for the session you have to buy an outfit from Nurture between now and Aug 7th. Your kiddos have to wear the outfit purchased from the store to the photo shoot. The photos will be displayed at the Fall Art Gallery Walk on Mass Ave from 5-9pm on Sept 4th. Several photos will be chosen as part of a display that will be in the store throughout the year. You will also receive a password to view and order pictures online from Loree's website.

So, head on over to Nurture and sign up for an unforgettable photo session with Loree.

Happy Anniversary and Father's Day

2009-06-21T17:51:00.004-04:00

11 years ago this very weekend we celebrated the start of our marriage along with Father's Day. My amazing dad walked me down the aisle on Saturday June 20th, 1998 - it seems like yesterday, yet it doesn't.

This year Joe took me out for our anniversary to one of our favorite local restaurants - a little calmer than last year. Last year he pulled off an amazing 10 year anniversary surprise party - he had me totally fooled. Friends and family were there with us and it was so wonderful to look around the room on that night and remember most of those same faces being at our wedding 10 years earlier!

We casually celebrated Father's Day today with bigger plans for next weekend since my dad was home for less than 24 hours in between week long business trips.

It has been a great weekend to reflect - Joe is an amazing husband, father, and friend. I thank God for joining us together and I thank my Dad for being the perfect example of what a husband and father should be. I love you both so much - thank you for both being so wonderful, compassionate, loving, protective, and amazing men.

Windy City

2009-06-21T15:01:00.005-04:00

Lindsay, Me, Carlie, and Jana

Last weekend I headed out of town with girlfriends to the windy city of Chicago! We spent our first day shopping at the outlet mall in Aurora and had an amazing time. Carlie is our party planner extroadinare so she had reservations for us the next day at Ralph Lauren - yes, there is a restaurant next to the store! We had a wonderful lunch then headed out for more - yes, shopping.

The morning was extremely cold and rainy - but we weathered the storm and thankfully the sun and warmth were in full bloom by the afternoon. Just in time for Lindsay and myself to fit in a run on Lakeshore - no humidity and a great breeze. Oh I would run every day outside if the weather was like that here.

I was in awe of the Club Monaco window - isn't it inspiring? I adore black and white photo collages and have been wanting to start one in my home - they just stepped it up a notch by adding amazing fashion as well. How perfect?!

That evening Carlie had plans for us to eat at Hugo's Frog Bar. Good food, good friends.

Our plan was to hit the road Sunday morning to make it back by early afternoon - I did wake up that morning with the worst flu ever!!!! Don't even ask about the elevator ride down from the 23rd floor - my poor friends were trapped on there with me, but they were very supportive! It took 2 full days for me to get back to feeling 1/2 way back to normal - I was most concerned that the girls would catch it as well. Thankfully no one else got the bug - I was especially concerned about Carlie who is due with her first this September. What a way to end a trip, but we'll never forget it!

Oh What A Night!

2009-06-17T22:48:00.005-04:00

My two best girlfriends, Kelly and Esther, took me out for an amazing evening at a local summer hot spot - and boy was it hot that night! We do anything we can to get together whenever we can.

Kelly and Me

Kelly and Esther

The gorgeous view and sunset - I love it here because I don't feel like I'm in Indiana! It feels like a vacation spot, but is a short drive from home.

I've been spoiled lately with my girl time as I just returned from Chicago with college friends from my Purdue days! We had an amazing time and I'll be posting about that later in the week. I plan on fitting it in before this weekend's Father's Day and our 11 year wedding anniversary - can that really be? I definitely owe Joe for all of the time he has been spending with the kids while I'm out gallivanting with the girls!

New Toy

2009-06-04T22:14:00.002-04:00

We did it - a new toy and lots to learn! I'm a little overwhelmed currently with grasping all of the settings - aperture, ISO, etc. in order to capture those timeless moments. I know alot can be done in post editing, but I want to learn as much as possible to not put as much pressure on editing later.

We tried out the new camera tonight at Wyatt's soccer game. I'm happy with how they turned out considering we were just pointing and shooting - nothing fancy!

A happy boy after a great run down the field that ended with a goal! The evening light was perfect.

Amelia got used to having the camera in her face during the game - she's not shy!

So, with so much to learn and what seems like so little time - I'd love to hear of any suggestions on forums, post editing tips or great actions, classes, or anything else you can think of that a newbie like me might need to know!

Thanks and wish me luck!

Viva Las Vegas

2009-06-04T00:05:00.007-04:00

Joe and I were able to get away for 4 days to Las Vegas with no kiddos - just the two of us! We had such a wonderful time enjoying the pool, shopping, and food. I'm not much of a gambler, but I'm happy in Las Vegas as long as I have pool time and shopping time!

We always enjoy visiting the Bellagio and walking through the gardens - so gorgeous!

I hope to visit Paris some day, but for now this will have to do.

On our last evening there we went to one of our favorite spots - Diablos which is attached to the Monte Carlo. I love Mexican food and they serve the best margaritas ever!

I can't wait till next time - it was short, but well worth it.

Please, say it isn't so!

2009-05-25T21:48:00.002-04:00

We were thrown into Amelia's last week of preschool as soon as we returned from Quilt Market.

Amelia loves going to school to "do crafts", play, etc. and we love the time to truly devote to getting projects done at work. I'll miss her preschool time and it looks like I need to get ready for a busy summer with little Miss Amelia around quite a bit more!

Last Wednesday Amelia had her Songfest at school so Mom and I watched her and the other kiddos sing cute songs with all of their fun actions and loud voices. It was a gorgeous day so we took the time to grab some fun photos afterwards with Amelia. Don't they look wonderful?!!! Amelia was wearing an adorable dress made out of mom's first line of fabrics called Flights of Fancy for Michael Miller Fabrics. Our friend Jenn made the dress for us last year for Quilt Market and it is nice that she is still being able to wear it this year.

Her last day of school was on Friday and I made sure to grab a quick photo of her with her teacher Miss Kim. I can't believe my little girl will be in Pre-K next year!

Time sure does fly by fast - time to try and take things a little slower and enjoy life, family, and friends.

We're Back.....

2009-05-23T21:37:00.003-04:00

and catching up on work, Amelia's last week of school, and the list goes on! We had such a wonderful time in Pittsburgh debuting mom's 2nd line of fabrics called Summer Soiree. The lovely Patty Young took this amazing photo of me and mom - I had to borrow it since the majority of the photos we took didn't pass our strict approval standards!

We had a smaller space for this market, but mom did an amazing job packing a nice punch! It was so encouraging to see people stop in their tracks and go on and on about the amazing design space.

Some of my favorite things in the booth space were the different handbags sewn by Simone and the clutch below is going to be tough to return to her. I swoon gray and yellow so this clutch is a perfect accessory for me - and you know how much I love my accessories!

This is one of the many items in the booth that would stop people in their tracks - an amazing piece of artwork created by mom with her Summer Soiree fabric collection. This artwork was inspired by a bouquet of flowers that Michael Miller sent to mom last August when she broke her arm. Thankfully her arm has healed tremendously and she is back to sketching, sewing, etc. as if it never happened - hallelujah!

I'll work to have a 2nd post highlighting other friends and spaces from Quilt Market as well. Stay tuned and enjoy your Holiday weekend!

Few of my favorite things

2009-05-10T23:46:00.003-04:00

We're heading off to Quilt Market this week to debut the 2nd line of fabric - Summer Soiree. The above photo is a glimpse into 2 of my favorite things - Happy Flowers Necklace by Stella & Dot and the new fabrics made up into the cutest handbag ever! The talented Simone of Gardenhouse created this beauty for us and we are drooling over it - the vintage ribbon and brooch are to die for!

I apologize for my absence - I have been swamped between preparing for Quilt Market and selling Stella & Dot. It has been exciting and rewarding, but I hate to not be blogging consistently. Upon my return I will plan to post at least once per week - I promise!!! Will you hold me to it?

I'll be sure to have a full report with yummy photos from our Quilt Market adventure when we return!

Cover Model?!!!

2009-04-21T20:08:00.002-04:00

Here it is!!! I'm so excited and happy with the cover and dining room story. It was so fun to be photographed for the cover - a makeup artist, outfit changes, my Stella & Dot jewelry, lights, and cameras!

They did such a wonderful job highlighting the different details that pulled the entire space together. The damask plates and black lamps were the inspiration for the transformation - that was just the beginning.

Some other must haves were a wall plate display and artwork from my mom - the perfect personal touch! If you like what you see and you'd like to read the entire article then you can do so here - http://www.hendrickscomag.com. Enjoy!

Easter Hoppenings

2009-04-12T20:07:00.006-04:00

We didn't have any special plans for the day beyond our normal attendance to church, but the day turned out to be full of love, family, and joy! We went to church and then spontaneously called my parents to see if we could all meet up for lunch. We were able to do so and enjoyed each other outside of work and the other hubub that keeps us so busy.

The kids were so excited to have an Easter Egg Hunt so after lunch we came home and had our own hunt in the backyard. Wyatt was quick to fill his basket (10 was the limit!) and then quickly helped Amelia find the rest. So fun to see them excited, but to also remember the real reason we are celebrating this holiday today! Happy Easter!

Shooting the Photo Shoot

2009-04-02T17:00:00.002-04:00

So, yesterday was the big day when the photographer came over and took the photos for the upcoming May/June local magazine issue. All went as planned and I was happy to have every detail complete (I was literally placing the napkin on the last plate while Amelia opened the door for the photographer).

He was in and out pretty quickly and I really didn't have to prep him on much - he is a professional after all.

I did warn him that the apples in the bowl on top of the buffet were stylized the way I wanted them, but that Wyatt wanted the apple to the right to sit on top and make a pyramid - he has been adamant about this for the last two weeks. We were going to have to work together on this in case Wyatt caught us! Amelia hung out with me and asked the photographer how many big kids, little kids, etc that he had - Amelia always has a long list of questions for anyone and everyone. Wyatt played the Wii, but happened to pop his head out just as we were saying our goodbye's to the photographer in the entryway. Wouldn't you know that he didn't even say "hi" to the photographer, but immediately asked him why the apple wasn't on top like it was supposed to be. Being the nice photographer that he was he told Wyatt that he had to move it - whew, he took the fall for me!!!!

I'm excited to see what photos they use for the article and can't wait to share it with you. In the meantime, I will take some shots of the space so that you are able to see the final reveal prior to the magazine articles publication.

Spring Break - Really?

2009-04-01T22:00:00.002-04:00

This week is Spring Break for Wyatt so we decided to all go to a Pacer's game together since we aren't able to get away for an official vacation. This was Wyatt's second game in one week and mom catalogued his first outing here. You'll want to check it out!

It was great for us all to do something fun together and see the kids excitement when we bumped into one of the mascots named Bowser.

Bowser tried pulling off Wyatt's Titans jersey and in doing so scared Amelia really good! Wyatt had no problem holding his ground and was all smiles through the whole fun adventure.

Wyatt loves to color and made sure to make a "poster" earlier in the day to take along with us - here they are sporting it for us! And yes, Amelia was either eating, drinking, or dancing the entire game. It is hard for her to sit still and luckily our seats were in the first row of an upper section so we didn't have anyone in front of us for Amelia to continually bump into!

Whew - here we are at the end of the night. Ready to go home, but so thankful we were able to enjoy some fun family time together with the kids.

Stella & Dot Launch Party + Sneak Peek

2009-03-28T00:13:00.004-04:00

Oh...I've gone missing again, but I'm back now! I have been so busy with preparing for the interview for the dining room last week and then with launching my new business with Stella & Dot.

So we'll combine a dining room sneak peek into the Stella & Dot Launch Party since that is where I held the party! The party was so much fun and everyone loved the jewels!! I had great sales and am already so excited about the future with them. I love merchandising product so I had a fun time setting up the display areas in my entry way and dining room.

You can see the girls all shopping and trying on the jewelry. What a great excuse to have a girls night in, huh?

I absolutely love how the dining room turned out and it was so fun to hold this event here in the updated space. Now I just have to plan for the photo shoot next week (which is the follow up of the interview from last week) and then the pressure is off! I'll be sure to share the local write up once I receive a copy. I'll also be sure to post in the near future the full reveal of the dining room.

Look at what I caught this little one doing after the guests had left and it was time to clean up!

Weekend Away

2009-03-17T23:08:00.004-04:00

This past weekend I headed off to Bloomington, IL (home of Patty Young!) for some much needed time with girlfriends and a Hearts at Home conference. The conference's theme this year was Real Moms, Real Lives, Real Stories - I left with my "batteries recharged" and some great tips for running a more organized and happy home.

I've been missing around here lately because my dining room redo has turned into an even bigger project than I had planned! This Thursday morning it will be photographed for the local magazine - ahhhh! Exciting, but more pressure than I had planned on putting on myself. However, I must say that I'm loving how it is turning out and the motivation to have it done by a specific date! I'll be sure to be posting final "after" photos since it will be finished in a couple of days!

Slowly but Surely

2009-03-07T00:09:00.003-05:00

Here are some of the finishing touches that Joe and I bought last weekend from Crate & Barrel for the dining room. I still need to find the white round plates for the wall display that I want to do - I'm on the search for a bargain! Then I have some artwork and window treatments to hang. Slowly, but surely we're getting there.

I have missed blogging lately, but have been so busy starting up my Stella & Dot boutique jewelry line. I am having such a great reaction to it and can't wait to see how this will grow!

I'll be back soon with the final reveal of the dining room - stay tuned!

Sneak Peak

2009-03-01T23:15:00.004-05:00

Sneak peak of what you ask?! Well, if you look closely you can see the new wall color in the background along with the new dishes to the left. However, I wasn't intending on giving you a sneak peak at all until Amelia ran in today to announce that they had colored on the table!

What table you ask?!! Yes, the dining room table. The room that they never play, color, or do anything in.

"Why?"!!!!! That is all I kept asking (yelling was more like it) them before I banished them to their rooms. After a few recommended solutions from google we were able to remove the permanent marker - oh, and some of the finish in that area as well!

Now that the tightness in my chest has subsided I decided to share with all of you my saga. As I was uploading the photos for this post I didn't recognize one and so I opened it fully to see what it was. To my surprise, the below image is what I found.

Yes, I fell asleep on the job and there is proof! Don't I just look angelic?

Amelia was supposed to be down for her nap as well, but she obviously had gotten up and they were so quiet that I never knew. Lesson learned - no down time?!

My Favorite Girl + My Favorite Shoes

2009-03-01T01:09:00.004-05:00

Joe and I were able to spend the afternoon together shopping for the dining room redo finishing touches and spent the evening celebrating his birthday over sushi. What a treat! Upon our return, Amelia promptly threw on my favorite shoes so she could look like me with my heels on from our fancy date. I call Amelia "my favorite girl" and lucky for me she is my only girl! So, it was a great way to end my day with my favorite girl wearing my favorite shoes!

I hope you are all enjoying your family and weekend!

Currently Loving and Selling...

2009-02-25T22:38:00.007-05:00

Stella & Dot

Stella & Dot jewelry is right on trend and oh so yummy - I fell in love the first time I was introduced to the line which was just one short week ago. The difference with this line of jewelry is that it isn't available in retail stores, but only through direct in home selling. Now, I've never been a big direct sell party kind of girl - (except for Tastefully Simple because that stuff is easy and people suddenly are amazed with my cooking/baking skills!). That is - until now. I was so impressed that I decided to sell the line myself!!! Can you believe it - I went from avoiding direct sell parties to now selling it myself?! The big difference - I think the product speaks for itself!

So, if you love it as much as I do and you'd like to receive some of your favorite pieces for free based on the show sales plus additional jewelry at 50% off - then give me a shout and you can host a party! Or you can purchase direct from my Stella & Dot website. Well enjoy and maybe we'll be in touch!

Commercial Break?

2009-02-20T21:55:00.004-05:00

How long did it take them to choreograph this number?!! I can't believe they were able to go right back to the nightly news without cracking a smile or bursting out in laughter - that is the most amazing part to me!

(via A CUP OF JOE via Abby)

In other news (he, he), I came home from work and running some errands to this - how exciting!

Much to my surprise Joe had started priming the walls for the new room update. I was planning on starting tomorrow in between a birthday party for Wyatt & Amelia's friends and a girls night out to celebrate my BFF Esther's birthday, but now I won't have to. Yipee!

Dining Room Redo

2009-02-15T16:58:00.007-05:00

I've been wanting to update our dining room for some time now, but time and money have slowed me down. This is what our dining room currently looks like - I haven't done much to it since we first moved in (5 1/2 short years ago) and it is needing a little attention to detail. Not to mention that it is a little too dark for my taste so I'm ready for a clean, fresh update.

So, what do you think about this for an update?

Dining Room - by jennstorey on Polyvore.com

I made a run to Target yesterday - something that I try to not do that often because my will power isn't strong when it comes to fashion or home purchases. I've known for a while now that I wanted to paint the walls in Porter Paints Fern Glow, but I just haven't had the motivation to start. Until yesterday - when I found these gorgeous white and green damask plates. Ohh, I couldn't deny them entry into my dining room - immediately I loaded them into my cart.
Then, I found these amazing black lamps with cream drum shades marked down!!!!!!! Then I really couldn't say no.So, I'll plan to keep all of the large pieces currently in the room and just use some paint and accessories to transform the space! I'll share with you the final product once it is complete!

Party On

2009-02-12T22:37:00.004-05:00

We did it - we celebrated Amelia and Jesse's 4th birthday with friends and family this past weekend at Jesse's home. They have known one another since they were born 5 weeks apart just a short 4 years ago. Amelia adores Jesse and we were so happy to all share this fun day together.

I know it is cliche, but it is so hard to believe that my little Amelia is now 4 years old! She was a surprise to us from day one and she has kept us busy trying to keep up ever since.

We love you Amelia and look forward to many, many more birthday celebrations - let's just not rush them though. If time could only slow down a little!

Learn Something New Every Day

2009-02-05T21:50:00.008-05:00

Once again, we were hit with more snow. As I was slowly heading in to work on Tuesday I knew that I was going to have to do the impossible once I got there - somehow, some way I had to clear a path for our UPS man! He comes daily to pick up our shipments and as much as we love him and he loves us - he has made it clear that he wants that steep drive clear when he comes to pick up our packages. Let's face it, we don't want to upset our UPS man. So, duty called.

My mom was in disbelief when I got to work and told her that I was going to head out and work on snowblowing. Again, I've made it clear in previous posts that I'm domestically challenged and all outdoor work is included when it comes to my short comings.

Amazingly, I was able to get the snowblower started, but after that I had no clue. Mom was right by my side to witness this hilarious undertaking. I started pushing, but I couldn't get it to budge and no snow was "blowing" - so mom thought she would help by pushing behind me and we were laughing so hard that all we ended up doing was piling up the snow in front of this large contraption. Finally, I figured out how to get it to actually start "blowing" the snow and then suddenly it was as if the paparazzi were on top of me - mom popped out from around the corner and started taking as many photos as possible. She even risked life and limb to get this shot!

She took the photos as proof for Joe that I actually could do manual labor outdoors. They had a good laugh discussing it and Joe said to my mom, "You know those yellow shoes Jennifer has? Well, I am going to expect her to wears those this summer while mowing the lawn!"

Well, we all know that will never happen! To top it all off as I was leaving that night I bumped into Charles, our UPS man, and he yelled over to me that the drive was the best it had ever been - ha, little did he know what all it took to get it that way!!!!

So, needless to say, you learn something new every day!

Currently Loving JCrew Spring

2009-01-31T23:41:00.004-05:00

If you know me well enough you know that I adore JCrew - especially since Jenna Lyons, the SVP of Women's Design, has been on board . I love how they mix colors, textures, accessories, etc. They create what I'm looking for - classic looks with a twist. Their photo styling is inspirational as well and I look forward to flipping through their catalog every time it comes in the mail. Here is a look at Spring - yummy!

Now, don't forget the kiddos - Crewcuts has amazing looks as well. So amazing that I wish they made some of the styles, silhouettes, etc. in my size!

Enjoy and just remember (for those of us in the Midwest that just got hit with 12.5" inches of snow!) that Spring is right around the corner - we can make it!

Princess Amelia

2009-01-27T22:57:00.003-05:00

We are preparing for Amelia's 4th birthday party and this year she is sharing the celebration with her friend Jesse. Jesse's mom, Kelly, and myself are the best of friends and the two of them are only 5 weeks apart. So, we thought what better way to celebrate than together.

The next challenge was deciding on a theme that could work for both a boy and a girl, but never fear - we just took inspiration directly from this past Halloween! Star Wars was the theme this past October and Amelia was the cutest Princess Leah with her adorable hairdo (no need for the wig that came with the costume!) and Jesse was the most handsome Luke Skywalker. Star Wars it is - so I whipped up the invitation shown above for all of their friends to join us in a galaxy far, far, away...

Here we are together at Kelly's annual Halloween party - me doing my best Audrey Hepburn impersonation and Princess Leah ready to defend herself with her light sabor if needed!

We're looking forward to a fun celebration and will be sure to have highlights here once the whole shabang is over!

CURRENTLY LOVING...

2009-01-20T23:20:00.010-05:00

PINK & ORANGE

(via Doblica)

J.Crew creative director Jenna Lyons
(via Domino)

(via la belle avenue)

I am ready for Spring and warmer weather as I am sure we all are. I've had my eye on this color palette for a little while now and especially loved how J.Crew pulled them together during the Holidays. The more I see it the more I love it - looks like this color palette will be making it into my wardrobe sooner than later!

Mia's Motorcycle Mania

2009-01-20T22:29:00.004-05:00

Amelia (AKA Mia) turned 4 last week and she made sure her celebration was as unique as she is!

As we were approaching Amelia's birthday we kept asking her what kind of party she wanted. Did she want to go to Chuck E Cheese, a bowling party, etc. The only piece of information we could get out of her is that she wanted a cake with a girl riding on a motorcycle - interesting, huh?! Well, leave it to Joe's parents (who get the kids a cake for all of their birthdays) to grant her the one birthday wish she had. She was as happy as could be and the cake turned out better than what my imagination had originally come up with when she first requested "a girl riding on a motorcycle cake"!

Her celebration has been quiet and small so far - no big party yet. Instead, we are planning to share her party at the end of the month with her best boy friend, Jesse, who is only 5 weeks younger than her. I'll be sure to post party pics of the two of them!

Leg Lamp Saga

2009-01-11T14:28:00.003-05:00

Who knew this lamp could wreak so much havoc on our home?

The week prior to Christmas I was heading to take Amelia up to bed when Joe was channel surfing and found A Christmas Story. We stopped to watch because it was the scene when the "leg lamp" was delivered to their home. We finished watching and then went on up to bed. Little did I know what that 5 minute clip would mean to our near future!

As we were heading up the stairs Amelia started asking questions like, "Mommy, where is her other leg?" and "How will she get her leg back?", and on and on. Amelia is the queen of 20 questions so I just went with the flow and didn't think anything about it. It wasn't until the next day that I realized we might have an issue because she brought up the "leg" again.

Each night we have to go through all of the leg questions again along with assuring her that the "leg won't come into her room to get her". Not only has this dramatically changed our bedtime routine, but it has changed our bathroom routine. You ask how? Well, suddenly she cannot go potty by herself. She now will come to us and ask, "Will you watch me go potty?" - can you believe it? It doesn't matter what time of day it is - she doesn't want to go potty by herself. The poor girl is afraid to be by herself because she thinks the "leg is going to get her".

What are we to do? Bedtime is now a nightmare including tears and multiple tries along with having to chaperon potty time. If I had only known!!! The "leg" has taken my self-confident, independent almost 4 year old and turned her into a fearful legophobic!!!

So, just a warning to all you other mom's out there - beware of the "leg"!

We Are Family

2009-01-07T23:25:00.000-05:00

As I begin to share with you "my storey", I thought it might be nice for me to share with you our family in more detail - you know, the real scoop! This way you'll be prepared in the future - you'll remember back to this post and say, "Yep, that is exactly how she described Joe, Wyatt and Amelia!".

I also wanted to be able to share with you the great photos my long-time friend Loree was able to capture of our family this past September. She did a wonderful job and somehow made us all look amazing - I think a large amount of photo editing was done on her part!!!! Please stop by her blog to see her other work and be sure to keep her in mind if you live in the Indianapolis area.

Wyatt is our 6 year old sentimental, sport loving, class clown - strange combination, huh?!

Well, if you know his dad you would completely understand where the class clown trait comes from. My husband has an amazing sense of humor and can keep everyone rolling. I fell in love with him and his sense of humor over 14 years ago - although, now some jokes aren't so funny anymore!

Wyatt is willing to try any sport. Soccer, flag football, basketball, and wrestling (I'll spare you the photos of his skinny body in a singlet) - but his one true love is football. No longer am I able to persuade him to wear his stripe polo shirt over the solid long sleeve tee or his rugby shirts with his chinos - it is all about football jerseys around here. This past year he actually had a wonderful flag football season and was nicknamed Wyatt "The Mangler" Storey. I am his biggest cheerleader, but I don't think he'll have a long career since neither my husband or myself were too athletically inclined!

He has the sweetest most tender heart and I love him to pieces. He has his moments - no perfect child here, but he is a light in our lives!

Amelia is our almost 4 year old spunky, independent daughter who lives life to it's fullest.

When I say spunky I mean the girl keeps us on our toes. At age 2 she had mastered pushing the chair over to the pantry, climbing on to the third shelf, grabbing the pack of gum, shoving the piece of gum in her mouth, climbing down, abandoning the chair in the pantry and on to the next thing in less than 10 seconds flat. To this day she still tells people that she got "kicked out of nastics" which translates to mommy had to withdraw her from her gymnastics class due to her distracting behavior. From what I hear, she is a spittin' image of me and I turned out okay so there isn't anything to worry about - right???

She is so full of life and has no problem taking charge of whatever situation comes her way. Although, she should have come with a list of instructions: no markers or paint even when supervised, no red chapstick, can unlock advil bottles, etc. We love her to pieces as well and are sure that we'll have many more adventures headed our way with her.

Joe is my comedic, supportive Italian stallion (did I just really say that?) husband! He makes up for so many of my short comings and I don't think any other man would be able to put up with my inadequacies when it comes to my domestic pursuits. He cooks, cleans (that means toilets, girls), does laundry and the list goes on. He puts up with my workaholic, blogaholic, facebookaholic tendencies and still loves me at the end of the day. Wow, I've painted a pretty good picture of everyone in our family except for myself, huh?

The truth is I am blessed and I need to stop and reflect on that a little more - maybe this post was as much for me as it was for you.

Well, welcome to our family and ya'll come back now (yep, originally from Nashville, TN)!

Finally, it has happened to me...

2009-01-03T22:36:00.000-05:00

I've caught the bug to start my own blog so that I can share with you - my storey! I'm not new to the blog world, but just new to having the title of "blog author" (no pressure, right?!). I am so inpsired by what so many families, designers, photographers, etc. have been sharing and now I'd like to actively participate. I'll plan on giving you a glimpse into my life - in no time you'll be familar with my husband and kids, my mom, my work, my projects, and my inspirations.

I am married to an amazing man, Joe, who definately balances out my short comings - you'll quickly learn that I am no domestic goddess (cooking and cleaning are not appealing to me). I have two wonderful children, Wyatt and Amelia, that bring joy into my life each day (sometimes Amelia brings a tightening in my chest - oops, did I just say that?). I'm sure I'll have entertaining storey's to share with you as this year unfolds - you know, the joys and struggles of motherhood!

I work daily with my mom, Paula Prass, who is an interior designer, artist, manufacturer of her own line of home decor and now a textile designer for Michael Miller Fabrics. A little over 3 years ago I left my job in the apparel industry as a Director of Product Development and Design so that I could join forces with her. We haven't looked back since and I am so thankful to have a job that I love.

I look forward to this journey as I share with you - my storey!