It's Dad's Turn! Father's Day Gift Ideas

Mother's Day has come and gone, so now it's on to Father's Day. 

Isn't it just the best to see the man you love being fatherly in any capacity? There's a pillow at my grandparent's house that says, "Any man can be a father. It takes someone special to be a DAD."  Our baby's not here yet, but my husband earned a Father's Day gift this year by spending last Saturday bathing my three (three!!) sheepdogs (sheepdogs!!) in a tub he fashioned out of Tupperware storage.

Join me as I once again scour the Internet for ideas on what to get the men I love oh-so-much!

Start out with cute free Father's Day printables... because we know it's all about presentation.

free father's day printables from amanda's parties to go blog

And a few more Father's Day printables here from giverslog blog and here from celebrations at home blog.


And for some of my personal top picks:

{ Where can I find...}

1. Stanley 3-in-1 Tripod LED Flashlight, $23.95 on Amazon.com
2. Cobalt blue BBQ grill, $19.00 on West Elm
3. Rag and Bone boater belt, $115 on Barney's.com
4. Age Your Own Whiskey Kit,  $150 on Binny's.com (via RealSimple magazine)
5. "Forever Family" map with heart, $22.00 on Etsy.com




For more, check out Rachel Zoe's always fashionable ideas:

the zoe report

What to Do With Old Cards and Letters {A Pinterest Project}

I went on a Pinterest binge this weekend. If you are reading this and are a member of that website, there's no need to explain the addictive, impulsive, and fabulously non-productive-- yet somehow oh so gratifying-- plethora of fun that is Pinterest. I got sucked in big time yesterday, racking up almost 150 pins. (?!?)

(If you're not a member, click here-- and say goodbye to the next hour or so).

I've been feeling a little guilty about spending so much of a beautiful Saturday online, but am not quite ready to ween myself off the virtual pins to actually make something I put on a Board... hence, this post. Yes, I understand it's called Do-it-Yourself for a reason, but let's take baby steps here, people.

I love this idea on what to do with old cards and letters. My closets are full of shoeboxes brimming with greeting cards and old letters I could never bring myself to throw away, even as a little girl. There's just something so innately personal about script, and the older I get the more I appreciate seeing words in longhand written by people I love. Some are even more precious now because the authors are no longer living, making me grateful that I toted around those shoeboxes through several moves.

This idea from Pinterest (originally from simplemom's blog) seems really doable and worthwhile. How lovely would this look on a coffee table? I was thinking of making just one of old Christmas cards, and sitting it out during the holidays. A great conversation piece.
 
From this post I was lead to the blog owner's store, called Gadanke (an oh-so-cute handcrafted journal shop). I will probably be making my card journal on my own, but am seriously tempted to snag a few of her creations as gifts, like the "You Are Loved" baby book ($18) or the "Seeking Grace" prayer journal ($18.20).

 I'll hold myself accountable now that I've blogged about this, and when I am done with my very own card keepsake book, I'll post a picture.

I Do

I am so grateful.  

September 24, 2011, I'm marrying a very great man. We are saying our vows in a place close to my heart. 

I will try to keep the blog topics away from all things wedding, but it will probably be a hot topic here for awhile. 

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD. "Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans for hope and a future." Jer. 29:11 

Present Ideas for Dad--or, the Man Who Has Everything

My dad is wonderful... but extremely difficult to shop for come birthday or holiday time. He's the, "Just give me a picture, I don't need anything" man and honestly... he's right. If he wants something, more than likely he's already purchased it for himself.

But that doesn't stop me from trying to surprise him. I'm getting a little unconventional after 30 years of doing this. Last year I gave him the Who's Your Daddy? Doggie DNA Kit for our family mutt. That was a fun one.

So if you are like me and are endlessly searching for a creative gift for a man in your life, here's one I just completed that was a blast to create.

I stumbled on Giverslog's entry called "Rootbeer Tour for Dad." I thought it was a great concept; unfortunately for me, however, my dad is not a fan of root beer.
But he's a fan of BEER beer!

So I took these blank printable labels and customized them to my Dad's personality:

 













Then hit a local market that carries specialty beer (and stood in the aisle for about 30 minutes, completely overwhelmed at the selection. I know nothing about beer... so I ended up going for bottles that had labels I thought were "pretty.")


Used some twine, and attached the labels to each bottle and put a little sparkly "grass" in a ice bucket and voila: A little fun for Dad besides the go-to presents of socks and golf tees!

These Three Remain: Faith, Hope, and Love.

re·sil·ience
Pronunciation: \ri-ˈzil-yən(t)s\

Function: noun

Date: 1824

1 : an ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change

2 : A word that has taken on incredible significance and literally, come alive before my eyes in the last month. The people I've known, loved-- and admittedly, taken for granted-- all my life have humbled me through their strength. Resilience, fortified in Faith and love.

One thing I have noticed on many blogs I follow is that the author will take a break from posting for a little while, then comes back with apologies about not posting. This could be an option for me today; but I will be realistic about this thing and know that, more than likely, not too many hours of sleep have been lost because my little blog hasn't been touched since early July.

For my own peace of mind, though, I will explain the absence.

This last month has been one of tragedy and bittersweet celebration for my family. This world lost one of the most courageous, compassionate members of our family to a very aggressive cancer, and her absence has left a void that supercedes description in words. Our comfort is that she is out of her pain here and now in the walls of a perfect heaven, a reward for a life well-lived while here.

This has has also propelled me into a period of introspection, re-evaluation, and a more clear view of this life and the people who I am so blessed to have in it.

This post has been evolving in my bedside journals, letters that won't be sent, and Post-It notes from my kitchen counter where I scribble down nonsensical thoughts on as I try to process everything.

It is heavy.
It's not about Tuscany, or interior design, or Balenciaga's upcoming runway collection.
It's kept me up at night with how complicated it is; yet, it ends up coming back to the fundamentals. The simple phrases that you see on refrigerator magnets, decorative wall hangings from Stien Mart, or in the guest-room bookshelf classic:
All I Ever Really Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten.

Yet, it's a topic that I'm still trying to grasp and still can't quite get words around. I will get there, eventually.
I'm just not quite there yet.

Please consider donating to the Lieomysarcoma Foundation Direct Research Foundation in memory of my precious, selfless, and courageous Aunt. By supporting LMSdr you can help expand advocacy for LMS clinical research and continue efforts to dramatically improve the expertise and knowledge of both patients and researchers alike. If you would like more information, please don't hesitate to send me an email.

http://www.lmsdr.org/ccollins.php

{ Today I love... }

Anyone in my family will know why green
is a special color.

And it all begins with a little woman we called "Sugarbee."

Sugarbee is my grandmother. She lived from 1919 to 2004 as the true embodiment of femininity, kindness, and grace. She was our Melanie Wilkes; and for me represented the gentle South where the romantic notion of moonlight and magnolias really do exist.

And she loved the color green.

Kelly, lime, harlequin, jade, teal, vert, chartreuse... anything green.

Her eyes were the bright hazel, of course, and her wardrobe consisted of plenty of shades of green. She was the person you would pick up a cute green trinket for, because they reminded you of her. Once, when I was little, I proudly presented her with a stick I'd covered in Crayola "jungle green." In my mind it was art at its finest, and Sugarbee absolutely loved it-- or at least she told me she did. Another example of her uniquely gentle spirit.

She even had a mint green bedroom. It was soft, and soothing, and pretty. Like her.

I have a very dear Aunt who has carried on this love of green. Jewelry, towels, granite countertops... there are tasteful splashes of "Sugarbee green" throughout her home.

So here is my post about lovely things in shades of green, for my sweet grandmother.

Velvet and Linen

I love the gorgeous wooden mantelpiece and beveled mirror against the crisp white and green wallpaper pattern.

Vietri Italian Garden Pots
What a happy, chubby little kelly green planter!

kate spade "Gardner Street Green" Dinnerware Collection
Intertwined green vines on porcelain white make for a simple yet lovely pattern.

Be still my heart.
From Schlumberger’s garden of spectacular diamond flowers. Clip in 18k gold with an emerald and round brilliant diamonds in platinum.
This can be yours for $275,000 at Tiffany's

Sandy Koepke Designs
Two of my dream gardens. This designer, Sandy Koepke, is amazing at creating an effortlessly sumptuous outside space.





Anthropologie
Anthro never disappoints; from housewares to Sunday brunch dresses, this is one of my favorite stores.

Coastal Living

This came from an article in Coastal Living called "Colors of the Sea." I love the potpourri of greens in both the living room and the kitchen.