If only all 'field trips' were this pretty.

Hello, Bloggy Friends...


I will be having a virtual 'Matilda Jane Clothing' show beginning Thursday, September 16th and closing on Friday, September 17th.
Personally, I cannot say enough great things about Matilda Jane's pieces.  They are solidly constructed, utterly unique, super comfy, and so darn cute.  Bonus: when your littles outgrow them, resale shops pay top dollar!  Don't forget, they make incredible women's clothing, too!

All orders must be placed by 4pm on Friday Sept 17th.  The website will now offer a "Wish List" feature for you to print and email to Ashlee (who is super nice and helpful, even though she's far, far away in Utah), my Matilda Jane Clothing Trunk Keeper. You can simply shop the site and instead of adding your goods to a shopping cart, you add them to a wish list. 

Please call or email your order to Ashlee.  If you email me or comment below leaving me your email address, I can send you her number or email address.

She will also be available to answer any questions you may have.  Please let her know that it is for  Beth Grebe's show so you can save on shipping!

The new 'Field Trip' line is dreamy.

Remember:  I don't usually do these types of things, but their clothes are phenomenal!  You will NOT be disappointed!

The tale of a dress.

(I apologize for the suck-butt photo,

but I lack low-light skillz)

There once was a dress from here.

It was the prettiest dress I had ever seen.

It was the most beautiful blue color.

And, much to my amazement, it was adorned with little ivory bicycles.

It exuded charm.

It pleaded to be my own.

I promised once it was discounted, we could strike a deal.

It would come to live at 'House of Grebe'.

It would have many adventures here.

Picnics, summer parties, dinners at the 'Boathouse'.

It was kismet.

A discounted dress, in what I thought was my size,

came to me all the way from the Tuscon, Arizona store.

The LAST two-wheeled dress the Saint Louis store could track down.

THE LAST ONE!

My knees buckled with joy the day it arrived.

I tried it on, and styled it up straight away.

Gasp!

What's this?

Too big?

Waaaaaay too big?!?!?!

This cannot be.

Nothing is ever too big on me.

But alas,

I had to bunch about 6 inches of waistline along the back with my belt.

It was awful.

Oh, the despair.

And, it had pockets.

Pockets have never betrayed me in such a way.

It had to go back.

For, I had no intentions of gaining weight to make our relationship work.

Return day was bleak.

I shed a silent tear of anguish as it passed over the counter,

and was thrown in a bin of unwantededs to be put back into inventory.

Afterwards, I couldn't eat, I couldn't sleep.

Other dresses tried to come into my life,

but they just didn't measure up.

Bicycle dress left an unfillable hole in my heart.

A void.

And, so it goes.

The quest continues.

A quest, I fear, will be a lifelong search in vain.

I love you, Bicycle dress.

I will remember you always.

Introductions...

Hello, everyone!

May I introduce Sheep & Mr.Chair?

They are the newest additions to the Grebe home.

Sheep was purchased with Rosie's very own Easter money.

I allowed it because what home with children doesn't need

ANOTHER stuffed animal?

Certainly not ours. That's for sure.

I love those little incubators of germs and disease. 

However, he has found such a nice home on Mr.Chair.

Rosie agrees.

And, obviously, she is in charge.

Secondly,

{I cannot put it off any longer}

I would like you to say 'howdy' to my secret project.

The one with the scrumptuous fabrics.

It is only half complete, but I am so proud.

Fish Scale skirt, say hello to your public!

This skirt has it all:

pretty fabrics, upcycling, movement, happiness, handmadeness, love, sweat,

 tears, messy edges, colors, sweat, tears, sweat, tears.

You name it...

it's got it.

I now know why certain clothing is so expensive.

The shear amount of time it takes to make certain garments is astounding.

But, since it's for me, and it keeps me from wasting my time in so many

other arenas, it's okay.

Don't you think Fish Scale skirt would look pretty sitting in Mr.Chair?

Maybe with Sheep in its lap?

Rest easy, my friends...

upon completion it's a promise.

If Rosie will allow it, of course.

Oxfords, dress-up, and 3-year-olds.

I'm in love with men's wear style oxford/brogue shoes. 

Think Catholic school circa mid-1990s.

My favorites are from J.Crew,

but I refuse to pay $250.

I've found lots of vintage options on etsy.

Alas, I think I will head to Goodwill this weekend.

Lucky me...

I wear a men's 9-9.5 shoe.

So, I'm thinkin' it will be a piece of cake to find some CHEAP!

Camden leather brogues, jcrew

vintage canvas lace-up oxford, here

vintage brown oxford brogues, here

My OCD is kickin' in overtime.
Why?
My dear cousin is getting married in May.
Which means dressing up.
Which means I'll get an ulcer deciding what to wear.
Not a fan of dressing up.
For lots of reasons,
 but I'll have to share those another day.
I can get the following accessories for quite a deal
over at J.Crew's on-line clearance sale.
I thought paired with my trusty ole Gap black dress
{which, incidentally, I bought for my wedding rehearsal almost 10-years ago,
and I've worn it a gagillion times}
it would look classically cool.
And, those shoes...
are you kidding me?
How killer are they?

shoes and sash, J.Crew

image via flickr

In other news,

today is Rosie's 3-year-old photo session.

Already, she doesn't want me to do her hair.

She's laying on the couch all wrapped in a blanket watching 'Franklin'.

This is going to be really fun.

ruffles, ribbons, and sparkles. oh, my!

With a little silk french wired ribbon, you can make these.  Or many variations of them.  Like here.

 I whipped up some, real quick like.

 These are for clips for the girls.

These are for a shirt for moi.

I added some ruffles, too. 

There's a quick tutorial, here.

Pretty.

 I am not going to lie...

I am a ruffle tramp.

These kids got mad style.

I have never been prouder of my childrens' choices in footwear than I was yesterday. 

These crazy kids are really developing their own sense of style and it's fantastic. 

Don't believe me?

See for yourself...

They'll be kickin' it old school for awhile.

Wowza, they never cease to amaze me.

And, because I know someone out there will wonder...

Rosie did not get new shoes, because she is an Ugg girl through and through.

Luckily, in the summer months, she prefers 'fwip-fwops'.

 

gnome-a-licious.

I am going to, gingerly, attempt to make the above costume

for my dear, sweet Rosie.

First alteration to the above...

to turn those over-easy lookin' flowers into cute lil' toadstools instead.

Second order of business...

decide how to cut the pattern for the hat,

and how I'm going to get it to stand up like that,

AND stay on her melon head.

Thirdly...

I am on the hunt for a plaid shirt in a 3T or 4T.

You didn't really think I could make one of those, did you?

And, finally...

have Rosie practice walking in her hot pink wooden clogs that will look delicious with this costume.

Afterall, we actually have to make it from house to house trick-or-treating.

This may prove to be harder than I think.

Wish me luck!

Lots to learn.

image by Thomas Northcut

Am I the only one?

Because if I am, I will feel like a bigger sack 0'crap then I already do.

I have difficulties letting go, and letting God. I know in my heart of hearts that He will take over whatever I give over to Him, but it's hard sometimes.

Holy banana crackers, I am such a control freak.

Isn't it Psalms 46:10..."Be still, and know that I am God..."?

It's the 'be still' part that I have the problem with.

Puh-leez, tell me I'm not alone in this. I need your support.

Thank you.

*****

On a completely different note, I have started trying to learn to sew. Like REALLY sew. Clothes, quilts, totes, aprons. Lots of stuff. Let's just say that it could be going significantly worse. Here's what I've come up with so far...

And, some cute applique...I'm getting a lot better at this.

Feedback is appreciated!

Smile!

So, I have scheduled a family photo session for my posse on June 6th with the the wonderful Laurie of EyeSmilePho'tot'graphy. I am very excited. We have not had a family photo since Betsy was a newborn. I haven't taken the kids either, since Rosie was 4 months old. Wowza! I am utterly inadequate as a mother, I know. Anywho, she came highly recommended by a facebook friend, Christine Plamann (who incidentally is another awesome photog up north, check her out here if you live in the Milwaukee area). Laurie takes awesome natural light shots, and many of her photos have a funky urban feel.

Now, the anxiety is setting in. Five weeks out, and I am already wondering...
Will the kids behave?
What will we wear?
Will Laurie wish she never met us when it's all over?
Will there be at least one great shot?

You know, the usual prephoto stress. The one that is really plaguing me is the attire issue. I don't really want to buy anything new, and I want the clothes to coordinate but look natural. You know, stuff we would wear in real life. Something funky and fun, but not overkill.

I was on Design Mom the other day, and stumbled across her recent family photos, here. This really couldn't have happened at a better time. They are beautiful (taken by Candice Stringham), AND I love their wardrobe (check out details here). I am totally going to use them as our inspiration. Surprisingly, I won't have to buy much of anything. That's super great!

Below are two of the beautiful photos Candice took of Gabrielle's (Design Mom creator) family. Aren't they stunning? If ours turn out a quarter to a half as good, I will be more than satisfied.

Photo by Candice Stringham

Photo by Candice Stringham

PS I looooooooove Gabrielle's kids' names...Ralph, Maude, Olive, Oscar, and Betty. Uh, hello! So cute!

Say cheese!

love this.

This is genius.

You buy a pair of cool shoes,

a pair gets sent to a child who, in most cases,

has never, ever, ever, even had a pair of shoes.

Worldwide.

That is sweet.

Something cool for you,

something life-changing for someone else.

See?

Being philanthropic is NOT that hard.

Nice.

That's TOMS shoes
.

I'm thinkin' Big Jake needs these.

He loooooves shoes.

These are just his speed.

Go buy some TOMS.

the sensible bride.

Okay, so, I might be flogged for this, but as I've said before...this is my blog. So, deal. I am not getting married (already am) nor do I know anyone who is soon, but I have strong opinions about weddings and marriage. This particular opinion I want to share with you today was sparked by a post on Design Mom, as seen here. It got me thinking about the ridiculous lengths women will go to in order to get the wedding dress of "their dreams". Call me crazy, but I think anything over $750 is insane! Probably even $500. My own wedding dress was $220 and I thought that was steep, and I didn't even pay for it. I feel this way for several reasons. I will list them to make it easier on all of my loyal readers:

1. You only wear your wedding dress ONCE! Uh, hello, ONCE! Did you all get that? ONCE!

2. Unless you have a large dispensible income, you really have no business buying a $1000plus gown. Ask yourself this, do you give that much to charity per year? If the answer is no, then skip the desinger dress and be realistic. Remember, you will only wear it ONCE.

3. When you are at a wedding, do you think you could really and truly tell if a dress cost $100 or $2100? I would say 97% of the time the answer is no. Not to mention, aside from the fact that no one can tell, no one really cares how much you spent.

4. If you must spend gobs of money on clothing, save your thousands and buy something really practical, like, designer jeans or a timeless leather bag. Something you will surely get your money's worth out of.

5. Finally (because I promised to limit my reasons to 5), there are just way too many affordable opitons these days when it comes to wedding gowns. I have included pictures above, and below are all of the links.

And, believe it or not, you can go dress shopping with your head AND your heart. Really.

The dresses above all came from j.crew, Target, Nordstrom, and Dillard's. They range in price from $45.00 (no lie) to $695.00 (wowza, that's a lot of dough). Happy hunting!

ps Can you tell that I am not a HUGE fan of strapless dresses?

Here comes the bride!

Introducing...

My etsy shop!

Please stop by and

check it out!

ps

Let me know

what you think...

more will be added soon.

So, stay tuned...

Thanks!

Say what? Where?

Juicy Couture.

Are you kidding me?

Typically,
I don't like anything referred to as "juicy" aside from ripe fruit and certain cuts of meat.

So, it seems only natural that I am not a big supporter of Juicy Couture. Tweens with a word sprawled across their rear that should only be used to describe a fresh plucked plum or succulent roast chicken is inappropriate, to say the least.

But, I am hopelessly in love with the swimsuit above. It would be flattering on just about anyone (shirring, skirt, need I say more). It is also classic, timeless, and just so darn cute. It comes in five super fabulous colors (my favorite is above), and best of all, it doesn't claim to be "juicy" anywhere but on the tag inside.

Now, that's "j-j-j-juicy".

take your time swimsuit season!

Tutu fabulous.

I love etsy, but sometimes the things that I like I am determined to make myself. It is self-gratifying and easier on the pocket book.

Lil' Ro's birthday party is Saturday morning at Build-a-Bear Workshop, and I wanted her to look like an urban princess. I am pleased with the results. Rosie thinks that the Tutu Fairies have bestowed one of their greatest gifts onto her. It's a win, win.

Now, I just have to finish the applique.

I was pretty confident that I knew how to assemble the tutu, but I did lean on the detailed instructions from DesignMom.com, here, just to be sure. So, I hope you enjoy, and I will post pics of Betsy's digs when they're finished. She has to look glam, too.

Happy tutu making!

Forgetting and sharing.

I am fully aware that is not Wednesday. It is Thursday. I also realize I forgot about 'Watcha wearing Wednesday?' I really had three things on yesterday. I spent most of the day in jammies because Miss Betsy is still under the weather. Next, I tried on my bridesmaid dress for my cousin, Mel's, wedding. I had to see if it still fit, ya' know, after the holidays and Super Bowl. All I can say is, "Whew!". It fits like a glove. A tight, custom made-for-you glove. A glove that you cannot bend your fingers in for fear of ripping a seam. That kind of glove. Lovely. I, also, would secretly love to wear my sneaks. But, I don't think that's appropriate. Finally, I wore jeans and a cardi to get my hair cut, but, alas, I did not take a picture. These will have to do.

~~~

Also, below, is the fab birthday present Mrs. Lewis made for me. We saw these on 'whatever' here, originally made by meg ('whatever' is her blog), and Mrs. Lewis thought she would give it a go. I think she did a great job, and I am sure I will be the envy of every customer at the grocery store and Target when I whip that bad boy out full of coupons and my lists. To personalize it a bit, she added a cute picture of us from Saturday night in the little pocket of the notebook. Cute, huh?

See ya!

'whatcha wearing wednesday?'

I am going to take part in a fun little idea amongst many-a-blogger. It is called, "watcha wearing Wednesday?", and it was started by dearfii all the way in Australia! (Do I hear some thunda from down unda?)

Good times!

It will make my Wednesday posts super easy, and hopefully, sometimes fun.

And, I don't know about you, but I love anything that gives me a peek into someone else's life. I am sure that curiousity will,
for sure, someday, kill this cat!

Believe it or not, I was dressed in acceptable clothes earlier, but, by the time I remembered it was, indeed, Wednesday, I was in jammie pants and a tank.

Eat your hearts out!

I am one, hot, momma!

Relax!

Dilemma.

I am going out on February 7th for my dear friend, Mrs. Lewis', 31st birthday. Which by the way, the 7th is two days before my very own 31st, so I think, we can safely say, I, at the very least, will be celebrating BOTH special days. It is at a music lounge/bar type place. I never know what to wear to these things. I am pretty confidant in my fashion choices, but the bar scene is a conundrum for me.

On the one hand, you don't want to wear your everyday 'mom' clothes. Right?

Too casual.

source 'Saturday Night Live'

On the other hand, I think trampy clubbin' clothes are definately out. I mean, seriously, I've given live birth four times. It's just not appropriate anymore.

source unknown...sorry, fellas!

But, seriously, when are these kinds of clothes appropriate? I guess, if you work a corner. I'll give you that.

I'm thinkin' something like the following...

image from j.crew

image from j.crew

source unknown

I'm sure I can cook something up.

Maybe, even something a little s-e-x-y (is that word allowed on Blogger?)!

Wowza, wouldn't that be somethin'?!

Toodles!