PAIRED HEARTS HANDMADE FATHER'S DAY CARDS.

I love each of these. I love the fonts used. I love the sayings. It is how we talk in our home. Short, sweet and to the point. At least for Daddy. He really isn't much into the fluffy cards. He'd rather a hand-written note inside. So these cards are perfect. Found on Etsy at Paired Hearts.

ALAMEDA FLEA MARKET FINDS!

Between the antique stores in Benicia and the Alameda Antique Flea Market, I came away very satisfied. Not only did I find the suitcases I was hoping to find, but I found another vintage candelabra that matches the one I already have. I use them for my ring displays. I was thrilled. Also on my list was the dress form. And my surprise finds....the cast iron white bird feeder and the blue/white metal work stool. Oh, and the flower suitcase....filled with vintage metal letters to spell out "FVK Made" (Funky Vintage Kitchen, my etsy site.) We also got the letters to spell out 'Kennedy'. I will take a picture when we get them up on the fence outside. Oh how the antique flea market gave me butterflies. Wanna go?

I'M HAPPY TO BE EATING MY WORDS.

I posted over on my family blog in January about a new spring trend. I titled it NO THANK YOU. It was pictures of the new boyfriend jean rolled a little sloppy and pants worn a little baggy. I must say I am happily eating my words. I found a pair I LOVE. I am sharing. Just don't choke on the price tag. They sit just right on the waist, not down on the hips. Stayed up when I squatted down and were sooooo comfy. Dave says they are his most favorite jean on me and the most flattering. I found them at Anthropologie here.

On the dress form.

On the body.

I actually wore mine with heals the first time too!

They really are cute. Just took a little warming up to. And I must tell you all that I had a hefty return at Anthro. Two shirts I received for Christmas, plus a pillow that had started falling apart. I essentially got them for free!

WINNER, WINNER, WINNER!

.....said out loud just like they do at the carnival! We have winner of the lovely eraser, grandma's fabulous button ring and the tasty mango lig gloss. Random.org picked commenter #14. And just to give you butterflies, I'm not going to announce who it is. Go start counting down yourself to see if you are the winner!

Congrats number 14. I can't wait to deliver your pretty package to you.

In other news on Butterflies. This week I am going to share with you all my amazing finds from the Alameda Antique Fair. I will be posting all the details of our weekend on my family blog, but saving all the pictures of my treasures here on Butterflies. I seriously walked around the whole day smiling.

And....more news. Stephanie, who contributed as a Guest Blogger a few weeks ago will be helping me out on a regular basis. Whenever she finds something that sets her a flutter she will be posting here to. So hopefully we will be back to posting something pretty EVERYday for you to feast your eyes upon!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY/HAPPY 100TH POST GIVEAWAY!

A few of my favorite things!

These all make wonderful birthday gifts and set me a flutter at the same time. In honor of my birthday and my 100th post, I am offering a giveaway of a few of my favorite things. Yippee!

Napa Valley Aromatherapy Mango Lip Balm

Bird Pencil Eraser to Pretty Up your Desk Space

and....

One of my button rings from my Grandma's button stash!

Giveaway closes Monday at midnight. Winner will be announced Tuesday! All you have to do is leave a comment. Please include your email so I can easily notify you!

100TH POST AND GIVEWAY....

....coming tomorrow. So sorry for my lack of blogging this week. I have been working hard on my Funky Vintage Kitchen business and haven't had loads of time to play on the internet and find pretty things. The apron above is one of the items I have been working on. Check in tomorrow for the 100th Post/Happy Birthday To Me Giveaway that will run through Monday! I'll be giving away a few of my favorite things!

WE RODE OUR BICYCLES TO OPEN HOUSE AT THE SCHOOL LAST NIGHT.

And then I came home and found this darling bike on a friend's blog. Madsen is giving two of these away in July! I love this color blue. And everyone in my family has a bike but me. Oh....do I ever have butterflies. Click on the picture to enter to win! Fun. Fun.

THREE POTATO FOUR

I'm in love with Three Potato Four shop! Lots of great finds. And it makes me all dreamy for my first experience that I will be having with the Alameda Flea Market on my birthday weekend in June!

TAKING TIME TO BROWSE....

I haven't sat down and browsed through a magazine in a long time. Blogging time replaced my "plop on my couch and read a magazine time", but while away this weekend at a cabin in Georgetown, I picked up the Better Homes & Garden June issue and was pleasantly surprised. I grabbed a pen and paper and started jotting notes of all the little ideas I found and websites I wanted to visit. Who knew....Better Homes & Gardens rivaled Martha Stewart?! I will share a few of my finds this week. Yay for some magazine time while there was no computer access available.

And thank you to Stephanie who did a fabulous job as Guest Blogger last week. It truly helped lighten my load.

BY GUEST BLOGGER STEPHANIE GRAHAM: How this whole thing started...

I recall how April and I started on the blogging train... we were talking on the phone one day and I brought up blogging. It was a foreign world to me back in the day. (I had no idea the way a simple post could take over your whole day- so naive, I know... but I was young)

As the conversation continued, we both ended up on a mutual friend's blog. We scrolled down. We laughed. We stopped talking. Completely. The silence lasted for quite some time until one of our children was hungry, or laundry needed attention, or breath needed to be drawn- something along those lines. It was the beginning of a the extension of our friendship. Not only were we friends but online blogging buddies. It doesn't get any better than that! (By the way, we still read blogs silently to ourselves while not talking to each other on the phone)

So here is my final post as a guest blogger. Let's hope it gives you butterflies just as it does me... a wonderful site to pretty-fy your blog- HAVE FUN!!!




P.S.- Thank you, April for such a fun opportunity to be you on Butterflies for a week... if only I could fit into your jeans, too...

BY GUEST BLOGGER STEPHANIE GRAHAM: Sinful and Calorie Free

I love food blogs. I love food blogs so much, I even have two of my own. But we're not here to talk about me... We're here to talk about the must scrumptious and delightful food blog.

Why? you ask.
What sets this one apart? you inquire.

Well, here it is folks: You don't have to read anything. All that is required is to click, drool, repeat. Just mouthwatering pictures. Amazing, gnaw on your keyboard pictures. Without further ado, here's the link:

Food Porn Daily

And a little picture to get the drooling started

By GUEST BLOGGER, STEPHANIE GRAHAM: Going to the chapel...

I have an affinity for all things wedding. I planned a wedding for my sister-in-law that was just so perfectly Spring. I love the dresses, makeup, hair, flowers, food, favors, photography, yada, yada, yada... Yes, I know I've been married already. But, I love to help anyone on their special day, even if it means blog stalking the best wedding blog known to brides throughout the world. Here's a sample idea board:

There's idea boards that are set up with mood and color schemes, pictures of actual weddings and great shopping! If I have whet your appetite plenty and are hungry for more, check out some cakes, too at Snippet & Ink.

BY GUEST BLOGGER STEPHANIE GRAHAM: *mwuah*

the.best.lipstick.ever.

It lasts ALL day and through two brushes of the choppers. I have been doing hair and makeup for weddings and proms for quite some time and this lipwear gives me the ultimate butterflies! It's super lightweight and rich in color. Every bride needs this stuff if she wants to kiss her man without having to reapply every hour, on the hour.

I absolutely love this Pro Longwear by MAC so much, I could kiss it! Color of choice: Go Vin Go, an ab fab neutral that works on everyone.

'Go Vin Go' is found at the Napa Outlets at the beauty store that carries MAC, Clinique and Estee Lauder for a fraction of the price

BY GUEST BLOGGER STEPHANIE GRAHAM: My first love after the fam...

... on a good day.

SHOES!!!

I have recently gotten severe butterflies over a specific brand of shoes. My current collection of NA NA brand shoes is a measly two pairs, however that will grow, I'm sure. I bought the yellow ballet flats, 'pansie' by name, for a wedding in which I was a bridesmaid. Very spring-y. Super FAB-U-LOUS. Those shoes felt like they were made for my feet right out of the box. So, what's a girl to do? Buy another pair, of course! Those gorgeous slingbacks go by 'Bam Bam' and come in delicious colors. Have fun!

I got mine on Amazon and 6pm.

INTRODUCING GUEST BLOGGER: STEPHANIE GRAHAM

(The Stephanie I know and love!)

I have a crazy week ahead. Getting ready for two craft fairs at the end of the week. Last week, while talking with Stephanie, she introduced me to a few new free blog background designers. I said, "Hey...want to be a guest blogger on Butterflies?" She said, "YES!"

Stephanie could probably introduce herself better than I can....because she is that confident about herself. I love that quality about her. She is funny, kind, generous, an amazing chef, plans affordable and yummy weekly and monthly menus, has a crazy obsession for shoes, always finds really cute dresses at Ross, tells funny stories on her fabulous blog, and the list could go on. I will update you throughout the week on my craft fair ongoings, but Stephanie will be posting regularly this week. I know she will give you butterflies. And I am guessing at least one post WILL be about shoes! Welcome, Stephanie. And.....thank you bunches!

FRIPPELOUS

These birdhouses caught my eye on Etsy last night. Aren't they darling? So is the shop's name....Frippelous. I instantly fell in love with the colors, shapes and sizes. And as I browsed through all of her lovelies....I got major butterflies. Just take a lookesy for yourself.

If only I had a craft room? And that letter K is only a sampling of her paper mache letters. They come custom in a fabulous array of colors.

I'M PLANNING....

....on making a few of these fabric banners for my Funky Vintage Kitchen craft booth that I'm putting together. I'll be sure to keep you posted on my efforts and display finds! I have a craft fair in two weeks and Chef's Market starts next Thursday in downtown Napa and continues throughout the summer. I'll have a booth at both. I'm excited but a little overwhelmed.

Stephanie, I think I will take you up on your sewing offer. I have some fun ideas for decorating the easy up and for table cloths for my tables, but they all need to be created. They both include little pom poms!

FABRIC LABELS.

These have me all a flutter. I have been looking for labels for my aprons. I have also recently been taken with twill tape. I love the feel and the texture. It just feels natural in my hands. Mommie Made It has the cutest designs. And her prices are so reasonable, even the little crafter/small business mommy can afford to label her items!

YOU CAN NEVER HAVE TOO MANY HANDS.

PB Teen has them on sale for $19 each.

Two of these will be perfect for my craft faires.

FOR BECKY.....

Becky commented last week that Hugh Jackman gives her Butterflies. Here he is baby!

Personally Hugh Jackman doesn't give me butterflies, but this guy below does! Tatted up and all. I love me some arm tattoos. Lucky for me my own David has some!

FOR THIS MOMMY.....

This mommy wants these.......and actually already got them. In fact, I am wearing them today, early, saying, "Happy Mother's Day to me" in a sing songy tune. Hope you get what your heart desires this Mother's Day. Really mine only desires that my children grow into respectable adults without their hearts getting too broken along the way. But that is because I already got a cute pair of shoes in the hot new spring/summer color 'Mustard'! Try it with grey....they look fabulous together.

Happy Mother's Day to all you great mommies out there, all you soon-to-be mommies out there, and all of you that possess a Mother Heart!

FOR THE STRESSED OUT MOMMY.....

Bubble Bath Dough found here.

Who doesn't need to crawl into a nice warm tub some days.

Heck...some nights, some mornings, some afternoons!

A bubble bath feels luxurious and every mommy deserves to be pampered.

{and tomorrow....my early Mother's Day Gift!}

FOR THE SCRAPBOOKING MOMMY.....

A really cute camera strap.

Since she is always toting her camera everywhere!

Found on Etsy. Just type in camera strap.

FOR THE RETRO MOMMY....

Only the pillow is for sale.

But I would take the chair and drapes too!

Found here.

FOLDING......

...this load of laundry seriously gives me butterflies. It is all new fabric for aprons!

Washed, dryed and pressed ready to sew.

Happy Weekend.