your summer planning guide week 4: diy travel vs. travel agent

welcome back to the summer travel guide series hosted by cailin at a white picket fence and yours truly! don't miss what we have already covered:

getting the most out of a hotel reservation

planning and traveling on a budget

where to go and what to do

planning a successful and relaxing staycation

lots of different lodging options

eating on a budget

in the final week of our series of tips, i'm covering some reasons you should diy your travel and some reasons you to consider using a travel agent for your booking. there are so many resources on this littered all over the web so i am only going to share a few simple reasons and then give you some great resources to check out yourself if you are having trouble deciding!



diy travel:

the initials should really be "biy" because this is really a "book it yourself" idea. there are so many travel & booking websites that it is almost child's play to book a flight/hotel/car reservation. here are a couple instances where biy-ing it will be to your advantage:

1. if you are knowledgable about the destination:

there are a few places that all of us frequently travel to. i go to austin every summer for a family reunion and we visit friends in baton rouge regularly. i would never dream of using a travel agent to book anything for me in these two destinations. i know more than enough about these specific cities and environs to be able to book the trip and plan for anything i need without the assistance of a travel agent.

if you are visiting a place you have been to several times or a place you have done extensive research on, then forgo the travel agent and book it yourself!

2. if you are looking to save a little bit of dough

you don't outright pay the travel agent but they do earn a commission on your booking so even though you don't physically see it, you are spending a little extra to have the convenience of the agent's assistance. when you book it yourself, you can put that little extra cash you save into the activity fund or save it for the next trip.

3. if you are a control freak

okay - don't be shy. who out there is a total control freak and must let their flag fly? i'm definitely one of them. i've done travel with an agent and without an agent and if i had a choice, i would always rather plan the trip myself. i like to be in total control of what is happening and where my money is going. i know i'm not alone in this. so if you are like me and want to plan down to the last detail then don't use a travel agent. just make sure you are willing to do the research and pick up the slack if something goes wrong.

use a travel agent when:

1. if your trip is complicated and has lots of stops

if you are traveling to several different locations via several different methods then i would recommend a travel agent. they will most likely be able to group all of the travel plans together and get a lower rate. they also have access and knowledge of different modes of transportation that you may not even think to check on (like an amtrak, a lake ferry or a group travel bus).

2. if you need the assurance of having someone to be able to "fix things"

if you are traveling out of the country where it will be hard to communicate with the locals, having a travel agent as backup to fix things like missed flights, lost luggage or hotel reservation mix-ups can be invaluable. if you need the comfort of having these on your side then a travel agent is the way to go.

3. if you need something very specific on your trip

do you need a hotel that offers child care? what about a hotel near a restaurant with gluten-free menu items? or do you need to book a care with wheelchair access or a hotel that will take dogs? a good travel agent will know these things about locations or will have the resources to find them for you when you might not be able.

here are a few more resources:

what does a travel agent do?
101 reasons to use a travel agent
when should you use a travel agent?
travel agent v. online booking

i've had a lot of fun and learned SO much from cailin during this series!! thanks so much to everyone for chipping in and don't forget that we are giving away a $50 gift card next week to put towards your summer travels! make sure to head back over!

may sponsor giveaway plus a surprise prize

my awesome sponsors have a bunch of goodies for you today! make sure you check them all out and then use the rafflecopter widget below to enter and win! (there will be one winner for each prize - 8 total (!!!) so good luck!)

















a Rafflecopter giveaway

finding, sorting, & reigning in inspiration

this originally posted at embrace your life, a blog about finding the joy in every day. i wanted to share it with my readers here also.

as a handmade artist, or someone striving to be a handmade artist, finding inspiration never proves to be a problem. a color, a phrase, the way the clouds look, a conversation... anything can spark an idea in a truly creative and receptive mind. my problem, i have found, is successfully sorting the inspiration in my brain into the correct place in my brain for future use and learning to filter what is great and useful inspiration and what is good, but not really useful inspiration.

i have found over the past year that i find really great and really useful inspiration in two specific places.



music

seldom will you ever find me working, painting, desiging, sanding, or anything to do with my business without pandora blaring on my computer or headphones in my ears. music soothes my soul, centers my spirit, and realigns my brain into this pattern that sees one thing at a time, instead of the web of chaos in which my brain usually operates.

another aspect of music that inspires me is the way one word might set in motion a train of thought that leads somewhere i had never explored before. an idea, a notion, a self-discovery. the power of music is amazing to me. it allows creative growth but keeps me all aligned all at the same time.

this is where the filtering comes in. sometimes (most of the time when it involves music) the idea is great and something i should really take into consideration for my business or personal growth. i jot it down in my inspiration journal. then after i'm done with what i'm doing, (thanks to cassie for this great bit of advice) i come back to it and reevaluate. does it still sound as good? is it overdone? would i buy it? is it something i'd be proud to claim as my own, be it a product, a behavior, or a blog post - it has to be something i will stand behind 120% or i just can't commit to it.

if it just an errant thought i will let it go. if it is important it will show up again in the future. i'm sure of it.



chatting with friends

the definition of crazy is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. i find great resources and inspiration in the blog world and through some of my best blogging buddies. i cherish this resource and all the information it provides. however, the answers i find on the internet from people who are going through a similar phase in life are exactly the same thing, over and over again. they don't produce the same results for me, so why do i keep trying it that way?

when i reach this point of crazy frustration, i just need an outsider perspective.

sometimes i turn to my husband. he is always grounded and is always good at reminding me where my priorities lie, pushing me to keep my faith first. i very easily let other things slide in front of that. (do you have that problem too?) i'm always thankful for his insight and encouragement because having him on my side of the ring is SO very important to me.

a lot of the time, though, i reach out to my friend rhiann. she is not a blogger and doesn't have a handmade business. i would say she is "just" a friend, but she is definitely more than that to me. she is level-headed, money-minded (she is an accountant! :)), and always helping me to see the best in myself, even if she doesn't realize it. conversations with her usually lead to my brain finally realizing what my heart has been trying to say me all along. (see conversation above.) and boy howdy - she believes in my like no other. she will never know how much i appreciate that.

the point i am making here is that, while it is certainly helpful to be banded together with people who do know what you are going through, it is also helpful for someone to show you what it is like outside the blogger box.

these are just a couple of the many places i find inspiration daily (heck, hourly might be a better description!). but these are always places where i get GREAT inspiration - and that is the best kind to have, isn't it??

in full bloom linky party featuring aubrey plays!

hi there and welcome back to another feature in our in full bloom series! if this is your first time, click here to read all about what we are doing and then catch up on some of our past features:

sarah at fontenot four + simply hand knit

cat at stuff i love and mimi baby boutique

tricia from mama marchand's nest and mama's nest designs

diana from livy love and livy love designs

in full bloom: helping grow your indie biz!

there is no doubt about how much i love the lady who is here today. i've talked about her many many times on neathering our fest and i hope to talk about her many more times in the future. aubrey, from aubrey plays (the blog and the shop of the same name) is an absolute dream! she is quirky, funny, really GETS that she is constantly learning to be a stay at home momma and a full time biz owner and is super creative and artsy. could i find more adjectives to stick in a sentence about her? probably - but i will let aubrey do the talking from here on out...


{blog | facebook | twitter}

who or what encouraged you to start your indie biz?
I wanted to stay home more!!
I used to always daydream about having a little coffee shop that played excellent music, and sold awesome bits of art made by me.
I now get to do this virtually.

what is the hardest challenge you have as an indie biz owner?
I think sometimes it is hard keeping your chin up when things are slow.
You don't really have someone who pats you on the back and says, " yes! that is the right direction! go with it" which means you are sort of blindly hoping that what you like will be liked by others as well. And lastly it feels hard sometimes
making your peeps know you need the time to get your stuff done.

what is some helpful advice you would offer other indie biz owners?
Trust your gut. stay true to yourself. Treat others how you'd like to be treated. the end. ;)

what is the ultimate goal you have for your indie biz?
I think it would be fabulous if I got a call from some large company saying they needed me!

two of aubrey's favorite items...


sweet little typewriter change purse


bag of shoulds

♥ ♥ ♥


you need to meet aubrey. she is full of great tidbits and life lessons and shares her heart and soul on her blog. i'm so glad i stumbled across her one day many moons ago. i am now ecstatic to call her a friend!! :)



want to join in on the fun?

sign up for the newsletter!

click here to sign up for the newsletter to get inside info on the shops we are featuring and upcoming in full bloom news!

link up your shop below!

here the guidelines to linking up your shop! remember that once you link up your shop will appear both here and on kelsey's blog too! double the fun!

1. link up shops/shop platforms only. please do not link to a specific item, a blog post about your shop, your blog (unless your shop platform is hosted on your blog) or anything other than your beautiful shop.

2. after you link up, visit two or three of the other shops that have linked up and tweet, pin, or facebook about your favorite item from their shops!

3. if you have a blog and want to help spread the word, feel free to add this button to your sidebar:


are you linking up your shop?
share the button on your blog!
<a href="neatheringourfest.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i847.photobucket.com/albums/ab40/eskynicole/indie_biz.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

may sponsor love

i'm so tickled to share my sweet may sponsors with you! this month has been all about traveling so i thought it would be fun to share their most favorite vacation with you guys!!



My blog is about all things fashion and beauty related. I also enjoy cooking and doing DIY projects and hope to include more of those on my blog within the next year. You'll also find me coordinating a Secret Blogger Swap, so feel free to join in on the fun!

blog | twitter | facebook | blog lovin' | pinterest



My name is Cassie & I blog over at Live.Laugh.L0ve! A mommy blog where I share the journey through our beautiful, crazy life. I love Jesus. I am a wife to Hubby & a momma to two adorable boys. I love fashion and all things handmade. Speaking of handmade I have a little shop called ccy designs that is filled with items that I love to make! Hope you will come say hi!

blog | shop | twitter | facebook | blog lovin'



The Dreamy Meadow is a lifestyle blog where I like to talk about anything and everything. Military life, motherhood, beauty, and hardships. There's something for everyone! Hope you'll stop by!

blog | shop | twitter | facebook | facebook | pinterest



My blog is about my life! I write down anything and everything I find interesting or funny or adorable. It follows my life as a student at college, an amateur photographer and guitar player, an avid reader, a film fanatic, and a slightly quirky individual!

blog | twitter | facebook | pinterest



I started my blog in January of this year. I document my random thoughts, things I see & love as well as sharing recipes. I'm currently a student in Hamilton, New Zealand, studying Media and Creative Technologies.

blog | twitter | pinterest



hello lovelies! we're a passionately creative multicultural family, self-employed and location independent (just returned from a winter in Costa Rica, yo!) we believe everyone should live an adventure, and we're on a mission to and inspire people to go after their dreams. we're sharing our crazy journey, hoping to encourage others along the way.

blog | shop | twitter | facebook | pinterest



My hobby was started with the simple desire to make an apron, a kitchen accessory from days gone by. It speaks simplicity & I wanted to sew one. Out of that simplicity came sales, then came simple little zippered pouches & tote bags. I love to sew, it's relaxing to me & it bring me joy. Fabrics make me smile & make my heart skip a beat! So making this hobby a business is really a dream that has come true!

blog | shop | twitter | facebook | pinterest



My blog is a lifestyle blog. I blog about everything from married life to fashion to infertility. My shop, ButtonEars, is full of adorable rosette and button earrings, as well as yarn covered items.

blog | shop | twitter | pinterest | blog lovin' | hello cotton



My name is Sarah. I am the one behind The Fontenot Four! I am in love with God, my husband {Ron}, and my girls {Moira and Peyton}. My daughters are 8 and 6. Peyton was born with multiple special needs. I love to blog about the blessings in my life, my faith, the occasional book review, recipes from time to time, musings about my family, and so on.

blog | shop | facebook | twitter | hello cotton | blog lovin



i would be even more tickled if you hopped over to each lady's blog and tell her i sent ya! :) they are such a wonderful and inspiring group of gals! you will be so glad you did!!

interested in swapping ads with me? check out my sponsor page for details and to "purchase" your ad for june! hurry - spots are filling up quickly!

sponsor call!

looking for a fresh new place to sponsor? check out my sponsor page to see if neathering our fest is a good fit for you! i hope we can work together to promote your sweet blog or shop.

just click over to my sponsor page for all the details + to purchase your ad!

the lament of the non-mom

sometimes i feel like i am beating a dead horse with how much i talk about wanting to have kids, not wanting to have kids, being scared to death of having them, and being even more scared of not. most of these conversations happen in real life with my husband though so i though i would bring a little of it here and blabber on about it to someone besides chris. i'm pretty sure he is tired of talking about it at this point.

perhaps i should start a separate blog all about my irrational fear of having children.

in case the million and a half facebook posts, huge displays of cards at walgreens, and every discount flash sale website email didn't clue you in, we recently celebrated a holiday dedicated to moms.

a holiday that is so well deserved. i have learned over the past year how tough, scary, rewarding, enlightening, exhausting, and downright crazy mommyhood is. all of my friends have children of varying ages and i have seen what they are going through and what they are learning about themselves and i'm in total awe of what they do and the sacrifices they make. mommys definitely deserve a holiday all about them.

please don't let anything i'm about to say make you think otherwise.

i'm kind of over it.

this year mother's day was kind of like single's awareness day for me. nevermind the fact that my mom has passed and i can't celebrate with her (believe me i have plenty of mom's to celebrate with so even though i miss her, that void is full of love and support from many people).

at church on sunday, just like every other mother's day that i've celebrated at that church, and i'm sure like most other churches honor moms, the kids all get to hand out pretty flowers to all the moms. our pastor has them all stand up and the kids run around, shyly handing a flower to some woman they have never met before. it is sweet and quite funny sometimes.

i got two flowers.

mostly because the kids ran up to me, even though i was sitting down, and looked at me, obviously confused as to why i wasn't already holding a flower. i must be a mom - i look old enough to be a mom. i didn't want to embarrass them so i took the flowers and said thank you (i mean i do have dogs!) but during the "greet your neighbor" part of the service, i handed my flowers off to a couple of mom's who came in late and missed that part.

so there are the first two bullets straight to the chest.

i look like a mom. i'm old enough to be a mom. i'm confusing small children because i'm not a mom.

is something wrong with me?

then after service was over and i'm walking out the door, an older lady comes up and puts her arm around me and says that maybe next year i will be able to celebrate mother's day too.

um. ouch. not just an owwwie or a boo-boo but dang.
an open gaping wound.

inside i was bleeding, hurting, sobbing. but i just put on my pastor-wife smile and said "maybe so - we'll see."

why do i have to be a mom to celebrate mother's day? i'm pretty sure there is no book outlining the rules of mother's day, who is allowed to celebrate and who isn't. i know that isn't exactly what she meant and i'm being very literal but cut me some slack. i was already emotional anyways.

it blows my mind how people can be so terribly insensitive. having children is a decision that my husband i get to make together. having a kid so i get to participate in a holiday is a pretty craptastic reason to do it right? what if chris and i have been trying for years and haven't been able to? what if i simply don't want kids? i believe its no one's business but ours.

earlier i called it an irrational fear. is it really irrational to NOT want to have children? i realize that makes me different from most women, but whether or not i push a child out of my hoo-ha or adopt one from a third world country doesn't make me any more or any less of a person. of a WOMAN. i can be a perfectly fine, fully functional person and woman with or without a progeny. at least that is what i'd like the world to believe anyways.

so that is what is on my mind. you know - this blog is where i can let my crazy out sometimes. so there you have it.

affirmation

last week, on wednesday, i had a terrible morning at work.

to begin with, i felt all yucky. tired, scratchy throat, a little feverish. you know those beginning stages of a sinus infection or a cold where you don't feel bad enough to just give up and lay on the couch but you aren't at 100%?

yeah - that.

then i ended up have a crazy busy morning doing something i absolutely hate. hate. hate. i was doing late payment collections, which in its entirety isn't all that bad. but it also means i have to sort through each account and figure out why they have credits etc. i hate all things that have to do with math or accounting. like. death to it. i'm so lucky to have an accountant for a best friend or else the money side of my business would be in absolute shambles.

then in the middle of all this i got a nastygram email from a customer complaining about rental prices.

seriously? i wanted to throw my computer out the window and just leave. it took all i had to not break into those dramatic, heaving sobs of anger and despair. i just wanted out. out out out.

i typically never leave for lunch but that day i decided if i didn't i might end up just totally losing it. so i got in my car and got a calorie laden lunch (the new chicken milano from quiznos. yum - also, emotional eater much?) and drove around listening to my book on my iphone.

i stopped in a random parking lot and rolled down the windows and opened the sunroof of my car and let the sun pour in. i did a lot of praying and asking God to just help me get through the next four hours with out killing someone. i seriously felt at the end of my rope.

then i got a phone call from the hubs asking if we could forgo our dinner plans and take a couple of folks out to dinner. there were two guys from texas here getting a feel for the area and having chris show them around so they could bring a youth group here for some mission work this summer. at that point i didn't care what we did so i said sure. whatever. i went back to work.

i honestly couldn't tell you anything about the rest of my afternoon at work. i think i've blocked it from my memory similar to something traumatic like a car accident.

but that evening we took these two guys to dinner at a little restaurant down the road from our house called the cheniere shack. they wanted crawfish. everyone that comes to visit wants crawfish. ;) they asked me what i did. i hesitantly told them about my day job, carefully leaving out details that might bring the horrible day back to me. then i started talking about my blog and my shop.

words poured freely from me, describing what i blog about, how much i love handmade, where i find inspiration for signs, and how much i love to do graphic design. they were aggies, so i showed them my subway art, note cards, and a picture of a canvas made from one of my files. they were complementary and totally impressed by my work.

it is one thing to have someone tell you in an etsy message that they love their sign. it is quite another to see the way a person's face changes when they look at your work into awe and admiration. i was floored that someone would like my things that much.

we talked a little more about me and then the conversation moved on to much more interesting things. we left and the guys went back to the church they were staying the night at. on the way home, i explained my horrible day to chris and how much i was dreading going back to work the next day.

he apologized for dropping this dinner on me at the last minute. he said if he had known how my day had been he would have done something different.

but you know what. it was exactly what i needed. being around positive and uplifting people after a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day was the perfect medication for my sour mood and rainy day outlook. their words of affirmation reminded me that my job is not who i am. it might be what pays the bills but it will never define me. and thank God for that.

and i told him as much.

so
thank you God for the words of affirmation that i so desperately needed.
thank you God for the fattening and delicious sandwiches at quiznos.
thank you God for sunshine and sunroofs.
thank you God for husbands who understand me.
thank you God for getting me through those four hours of work so i could really see your plan for me that day.



ps - turns out i was having some womanly hormonal issues going on... not the "i'm pregnant kind" but the kind that have to happen in order to get to the "i'm pregnant" kind. i was ovulating people. and it clearly does nasty things to my hormones!

your summer planning guide week three: eating on a budget

welcome back to the summer travel guide series hosted by cailin at a white picket fence and yours truly! don't miss what we have already covered:

getting the most out of a hotel reservation

planning and traveling on a budget

planning a successful and relaxing staycation

lots of different lodging options

there - are you all caught up now?? this week i am focusing on a few ways to eat on a budget while you are on vacation and cailin is covering fun places to go and what to do once you get ther over on her blog. make sure to hop over to a white picket fence and say hello!

today i'm going all "$40 a day rachael ray" on you guys and sharing a few simple and doable tips on saving some money while eating on your vacation!



except i'm not limiting you to eating out for one person for $40 a day. because really, who travels alone everywhere and eats every meal alone? i certainly don't. ;)

1. pack your snacks



if you are driving, bring along a cooler full of healthy snacks and quick, easy meals. things like almonds, spinach and turkey wraps, bottled water and homemade chocolate chip cookies on hand will save you money while you are roadtrippin'. no more bags of greasy chips and a dr. pepper at the gas station. bring enough to haul around with you once you get to your destination also. carry a baggie of trailmix or some homemade peanut butter cracker sandwiches for between meal snacks. this will eliminate a stop at the touristy, high priced restaurant for a $10 plate of nachos and a $4 iced tea.

2. use coupons and gift certificates





once again - i praise the amazingness that is groupon and living social. check out these sites for deals on restaurants in the areas you are going to be visiting. a couple of other great restaurant coupon sites to check out are entertainment.com (where you can purchase coupon books) and restaurant.com where you can buy discounted giftcards for restaurants. they even have an iphone app if you're in to that sort of thing. :)

another quick and easy way to save a little extra dough when you eat out is to get it to go. bring your own drinks (from your cooler of snacks) and take your meal to a nice spot where you can further enjoy the locale and skip out on beverage costs and the tip.

3. take advantage of your hotel



do your absolute best to book a hotel with a free breakfast and take advantage of it! eat a large, filling, and healthy breakfast to tide you over through your day of sight-seeing and you will be able to spend less on lunch because (hopefully) you are still full from breakfast. some hotels even have a complimentary snack bar or small afternoon meal so make sure you check with your hotel.

4. check out where the locals eat

venture off the beaten tourist drive and ask about where the locals eat. restaurants on the tourist path are not only hot spots but they are high priced too - taking advantage of those who don't ask about other restaurants. one thing that is a requirement for me while on vacation is to eat somewhere i could never eat at home. why eat at a chain restaurant i can dine in whenever i want when i could check out a local dive where the food is outrageous and way better priced? make friends with the concierge or receptionist and don't be afraid to ask.

5. dine in

you would be surprised what you can do with a small kitchen in a hotel room. either bring some food in your cooler (from #1) or stop about an hour before you get to your destination to grab a few things you can fix quickly in your hotel room. think sandwiches and chips with fruit, microwaveable meals (lean cuisines top my list, honestly) or pasta salads with tyson grilled chicken strips. clip coupons before you go to save an additional few dollars here and there.



this is just a few of the many many ideas and tips for eating on a budget while on a vacation. i'd love to hear some tips and ideas from you guys on things you have done in the past to save a few bucks here and there

also - please excuse my gratuitous use of the family guy picnic picture. i couldn't help myself. ;)

what makes a good custom sign? wedding gift edition

i have really had a lot of fun working with customers on custom signs recently! i am amazed at how creative people can be and how i have learned to work with people to create something that they love. my control freak tendencies sometimes make it hard to let go of what i like and focus on what the customer likes, but this business has really helped me with that. after all - it is their sign. ;)

anyways - i have often heard "i'd love to get a sign but i don't know what i'd put on it!." so today marks the beginning of a series discussing some ideas for signs as specific gifts and i'd also love to hear from you - what would you want on a sign? so let's get started, shall we??

wedding gifts
it seems a bit obvious but a custom sign commemorating a couple's wedding is really a unique gift. sure they are going to get lots of things with their new monogram on it, but how often will they really pull out the fine linens and use that tablecloth with their monogram in the corner or the champagne flutes with their names and wedding date on them? if you are me, uhhhh... never?? a pretty bit of artwork will be seen every day and all their friends will get to see it to. instant conversation piece. ;)

i have done several signs as wedding gifts and i love them. it gives me an opportunity to have some quiet time with God and pray over the couple getting married and ask God to bless their union. at first it felt kind of creepy doing that because yeah - i don't know these people. but then i realized that God does and that is what matters, right?

anyways - here are a few good ideas for wedding gifts:



this sign was for my cousin tara and her husband adam. "when boyd meets girl" is a nod to their last name and the url she used for her wedding website. does the couple you have in mind have a cute little saying they share? that would make a great addition to a wedding sign that will make it uniquely theirs! if i were to make one for chris and i, it would say shmily... which stands for see how much i love you.

cue the collective awwwwwwww. ;)



this sign was one of the first ones i painted. it definitely shows how far i've come. but i keep it listed because some people really enjoy the simplicity of it. the first initials and wedding date are a pretty standard go-to for a wedding gift. now i have learned how to customize the font and make it much more elegant looking. but i will always love this sign.



this is a more recent and much improved version of this sign. i finished it last weekend for my sweet cousin, who is getting it for her friends' wedding.



another one of my early signs - this one is one of my favorites! it is the last name and date, obviously, but it has a nice little heart shaped knot that i tied by hand and attached to the sign. tie the knot - i love this sign. it would be a great gift for a nautical themed wedding or a couple that will be living on the beach. (this is where i pretend to not be jealous... ;)



this sign was a collaboration between leanne and me. it was for her sister's wedding and the line is a line from the song they danced their first dance to. this was a great idea and i loved doing it. what a special way to remember not just your wedding but a very special part of your wedding day.



most recently i completed this sign for leanne herself. just a simple reference to their last name and the year they were married. simple, but when done correctly, gorgeous.

a few more ideas for a wedding sign:

the verse read at their wedding
a portion of their handwritten wedding vows
a "welcome to the _________" sign for their front porch
a replica of their wedding invitation

another tip - think back to your wedding and come up with a list of things you would have liked to have artfully composed on a sign to permanently remind you of your wedding? is there a word or phrase that sums up your marriage relationship? is there a bible verse you both love or a line from a movie that you both regularly quote? all of these make great ideas for a sign for a wedding gift!

tell us - if i could make a sign to commemorate your wedding what would it say?

breakfast pizza & why i can never be a food blogger

one of my absolute favorite foodie bloggers is jessica over at how sweet it is.

i mean - everything she makes looks delicious. she is hilarious. and not to mention gorgeous. and her photography is superb. i dare you to spend less than an hour drooling over her recipes. oh and her tuesday things? awesome.

anywho the other day she posted this recipe for bacon, egg + asparagus personal pizzas. and literally all day long i dreamed about egg on a pizza. chris and i had made a version of this in the past (from a recipe we got out of a food network magazine) but i really thought making it into a full pizza was taking it to whole. notha. level.

by the time i got home the recipe had come together. and here i am today to share it with you.

breakfast pizza

1 can of crossiants
4 oz fat free cream cheese or neufchatel cheese (i used neufchatel)
1/4 cup each pesto, parmesan cheese, and mayo
sliced tomato
cooked bacon
4 eggs
1/2 cup mozarella cheese

1. preheat the oven to 425.



2. combine the cream cheese, pesto, parmesan cheese and mayo. roll the crossiants out on a cookie sheet lined with foil and sprayed with PAM and pinch all the seams together. use your hands to flatten the dough a bit and spread it out. spread the pesto + cream cheese mixture over the dough



3. recruit your husband to cook the bacon. chris is the bacon cooker in our house. i always, always, always burn the bacon.



4. layer half slices of the bacon and the tomatoes on the pizza. my half got the tomatoes and i could have done with a lot more tomatoes. they kind of melt into the cream cheese + pesto mixture, disappearing into its creamy amazingness.



5. take an obligatory picture of beautiful bacon fat. is there anything more gorgeous than this? i mean really. we joke around and say this but it is true: i could be a vegetarian if it wasn't for bacon. not ashamed to admit that when we cook bacon, we almost always cook at least a pound for the two of us.



6. crack four eggs on to the top of the pizza. i poked my yolks so they would cook a little more evenly but if you like runny yolks like my husband does then just leave them in tact. then sprinkle the mozarella cheese over everything and salt + pepper it.

bake for about 15 minutes until the edges are brown and crispy and the egg is done to your liking.

here we come to the part that assures you i could never be a successful food blogger.



you're welcome.

this is the only picture i have of the finished product. while actual food bloggers spend time displaying their food for final pictures, i'm too busy stuffing it in my mouth and trying to keep it from my husband's fork. ;)

but seriously - it was aaaaamaaaazingggggggg. something we will most definitely be having again! i'm trying to think of some other toppings as well. asparagus, feta cheese, olives... i'll eat pretty much anything on a pizza i'd imagine.

what would you add to it?

caviar bead nail tutorial: guest post from katlyn @ the dreamy meadow

raise your hand if you get a leeeetle irritated and jealous when you see all these perfectly manicured hands on pinterest and wonder to yourself who has the time, patience, and talent to really be able to make them look THAT great.

good. glad to see i'm not completely alone in this.

and i'm also glad you're here. because i have a super simple tutorial today from my friend katlyn at the dreamy meadow on a really cute method for "polishing" your nails! seriously - even i think i could do this... katlyn, the floor is officially yours!



Hey guys! I'm Katlyn from over at The Dreamy Meadow and I am super excited about guest posing on Neathering Our Fest. Skye is a truly amazing lady! Today I'm going to do a little DIY for you all so let's have some fun, shall we?

Have you heard of caviar beads or seen the new fab caviar bead nails? Well I sure have and I am totally in love! So I thought I would show you a small tutorial on how to accomplish the look.

Here's what you are going to need:

Caviar Beads (I used silver, but they come in a million colors)

Nail Polish (I used Armed and Ready by Essie)

Clear Coat (I used Essie)

A bowl



The Steps:

1. Now I prepared my nails so they would be in mint condition to hold onto the nail polish. I pushed back and trimmed my cuticles and then went ahead and smoothed and buffed them with a 4 sided nail block.

2. Apply the colored nail polish to all of your nails besides your ring finger. Of course you can choose whatever finger your little heart desires. Apply 1-2 coats and allow to dry completely.



3. You then want to apply the clear coat to your chosen finger. Put your hand over the bowl that I told you to get out and gently pour the caviar beads over it. Allow to set and dry for about 5 minutes.



4. Apply clear coat to all of your nails! On your chosen finger allow the clear coat to seep down around the beads to lock them between the two coats.

Ta-Da! You have yourself some snazzy nails! :) Enjoy your new creation!





seriously, coming from one completely illiterate nail polisher, this looks like something i could actually DO. i absolutely love this idea! thanks so much for sharing it today katlyn!!