Fancy Friday Link Up at the bottom of this post ~

Theme ~ What 12 Guests would you invite to your table for a BBQ?

The winner is:

Janelle Allen from Everyday Imperfections!

You should receive an e-mail from us shortly.

Fancy Friday Link Up Celebrating Memorial Day Weekend

Link up to share your inspiration at our LoveFeast Table Facebook page.

Have a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend! With special thoughts & remembrance to those that have served us!

Thank you for joining us for Fancy Friday! The prompt today is, “Share a time with or memory of your mom, where life was Beauty Full.” The Inlinkz link up button is at the bottom of the page along with our featured giveaway. Thank you for joining us!

Handmade Paper Dolls

Kristin’s Memory

The above picture isn’t very beautiful, but the memory is Beauty Full. On Christmas Eve this year, we had another flood. This time in our storage unit. Directly under the busted pipe was my childhood scrapbook. It was ruined. But it was so full of memories I decided to go through page by page and capture them on camera. One of the pages took me back to a time when I was about my daughter’s age (10).

Growing up, my father was a pastor. Where there was a lack of money, both my parents made up for it with creativity. My mother especially. She was pretty passionate that we take a vacation every year, whether we could afford it or not. Usually those vacations meant pitching a tent and camping out so there were funds to visit historical sites or amusement parks during the day. She was a teacher too, so we were always learning. Vacations were special. They meant turkey lunch meat on sandwiches and not the usual bologna and mustard and green grapes instead of red delicious apples. But, one of my favorite vacation treats, were the extra special creative things my mom would tuck into the trip, to keep us occupied. She would make me paper dolls. She would draw me, the doll. Then she would create page after page of outfits for me to dress my doll with. Then I would spend the car ride, coloring and adding detail.  I’d carefully cut them out and do a fashion show for my mom and dad.

I’m sure she saw the lingering in my eyes when we went to Williamsburg, VA and I saw the colonial paper dolls. But, like a caring mama, she wanted to give me my heart’s desire, so she improvised using her greatest gift, creativity.

Anyone who links up a post to today’s Fancy Friday, will be entered to win one of our Life is Beauty Full pillows. Retail $120.

I’ve been thinking of doing a fairy garden for some time ~ and since warm spring weather has been playing hide and seek with us here in Minnesota, I decided to take matters into my own hands and make an inside fairy container garden.  Fairies it turns out are kinda overpopulating and are in need of habitats – thus the rage.  And, well with my bff all the way in Maryland, I’m thinking why not make friends with some invisible people.  (Hmmmm. Lonely for some girl time much?)

Fairy Gardens are starting to become popular enough (remember the overpopulation issues) that my local garden center had a fun selection of tiny plants to choose from.

It turns out even fairies have celebrities now.  Girls like Kay Kay, Cindi and Dee Dee are savvy enough to cash in on their looks, personalities, and skills.  They are “rebranding” gardening favorites such as Honeysuckle, Golden Globes, and Angel Vine.  Word on the street is that they have a Killer Tribe.

I lot of fairy girls like pink, but my fairies are from suburbia and are a little “over” cutesy-ness.  My suburban citified fairies were going to prefer a more upscale spa zen feeling.   So I went with small river rocks.

Garden fairies have the best intentions.  I am quite sure they want to “get to” their chores.  So, I picked out some small tools for them, in case they want to “work” out.

After the layer of river rocks, I added enriched potting soil to my container.  The last think I want to do is kill my plants and ruin a good fairy get-together.  Just like any pretty thing it’s all about the foundation it’s built on.  Practicality hides under every well run get-together.  And, I wanted my fairies to stay and play.

I wanted a hint of mystery in my garden, a little enchantment.  This container was for fairies after all.  I arranged the “branches” of my “trees” to cover a small circular center hidden garden hangout within my container garden.

This hidden fairy garden will be the perfect place for my little girlfriends to gather together in a circle to shake their chakras.   I want all my fairy guest to feel at home.

Decorating a fairy garden is just like setting a table.  It’s all about hospitality and making your small guest friend comfortable.  I created a path leading to a secret mosh pit out of small river rocks, and added the  small tools for “working”.

A tipped over terracotta planter table is perfect to share a couple of Honeysuckle-ritas over.

This fairy chick habitat disguised as a chic decorative tabletop planter ~

takes on a magical vibe in the evening.

I’m thinking of putting a tiki light or two out for the chicks (maybe a birthday candle?)

It’s fun to think of the things to add, a penny, a wooden spool, a garland made of a broken bracelet?  What might these princess girls swipe off my floor?

I’m not too worried though ~ because I’ll be keeping an eye on my magical fairy space.

I think the girls are going to like it here.

This would be a great fairy garden gift for a kid!

We had such a great time with the Gathered Thoughts Link Up party and many talented and inspiring writers participated.  It made us rethink FancyFriday Link Ups. We want to hear from more of you! We want the party to grow and the conversations to continue. Basically, we don’t want the time at the table to end. We seriously could linger here forever.

FancyFriday‘s will be every last Friday of the month. Each month there will be a theme, you can find the next three month’s themes, HERE. We would love for you to write a post around the theme and link up! Then, as a way to say thank you, if you link up, you will be entered to win something special from our LoveFeast Shop.

We’d love to have you pull up a chair! Our next FancyFriday is April 27th.

Theme: Share a time with or memory of your mom, where life was Beauty Full.

Featured Product Giveaway: Life is Beauty Full Pillow

When Irish eyes are smiling, sure ’tis like a morn in spring.

In the lilt of Irish laughter, you can hear the angels sing.

(Photos: Padmita’s Makeup Blog)

When Irish hearts are happy all the world seems bright and gay,

And when Irish Eyes are Smiling, sure, they steal your heart away.

Guiness Float

(Photo & Recipe: Jacques of All Trades)

There’s a tear in your eye and I’m wondering why,

For it never should be there at all.

With such power in your smile, sure a stone you’d beguile,

And there’s never a teardrop should fall,

Hydrangea Wreath

(Photo & Tutorials: V and Co.)

When your sweet lilting laughter’s like some fairy song

And your eyes sparkle bright as can be.

You should laugh all the while and all other times smile,

So now smile a smile for me.

Guiness Cake

(Photo & Recipe: Nigella Lawson)

For your smile is a part of the love in your heart,

And it makes even sunshine more bright.

Like the linnet’s sweet song, crooning all the day long.

Comes your laughter so tender and light.

China Glaze Agro

(Photo: All Lacquered Up)

For the springtime of life is the best time of all,

With never a pain or regret.

While the springtime is ours, thru all of life’s hours,

Let us smile each chance we get.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day…May the wind always be at your back!

Welcome again to Fancy Friday Five our weekly Blog Party Link Up where you can link all that was fancy to you!  Here was what was fancy this week for me!

My very fancy girl ~ turned 8 this past week.  She is the epitome of fancy.  She is full of fancy wisdom ~ so much so that there may be a post dedicated to it in the near future.  But let me leave you with this piece of brilliance left on the family chalkboard in scribbled colored chalk.

“You can change your hair, You can change your mind.”  ~ Take that bit and seize the day!

After being married to my husband for 20 years.  I did not know that he had killer rollerskating talent until this week.  Here’s to being married to someone with fancy feet!

It’s always nice to get a fancy present.  We got our fancy girl the doll bed to go with her American Doll, Julie.  Julie is from the 70’s era ~ which was fancy in its own unique way.  It might also end up as a fancy bed for our fancy dog, Roxy.  (If you’ve never been to an American Girl store ~ here’s a peek when Kristin took her birthday girl.)

St. Patrick’s Day is coming around the corner.  I have been making some fancy treats in preparation.

Last but not least for my Fancy Friday Five wrap up, the fancy Lorax.  We got our picture taken with the Lorax at Blissdom, the blogging conference we just attended in Nashville.  I’m looking forward to taking my kids to the Lorax movie this weekend.  And they will love this picture ~ especially my fancy girl.

What do you have fancy to share from this week?  Add your comment or link your post!

I was all set to share a few things I’ve found “Fancy” this week, but this morning, when I went to check my facebook, a friend had posted this video! A woman climbs over the Williamsburg Bridge in NYC and performs an aerial show that will take your breath away. I always find performance art Fancy.

Last night as my kids sat around watching America Idol, somehow, felt, needles, buttons and thread came out and three of my boys and my daughter decided to stitch together dolls. It was totally a Fancy moment. This little scrap of happiness was made by my daughter.  Handmade anything is Fancy!

My sister gave this tear drop garden glass topiary-beauty to me for my birthday. It dangles in my kitchen and makes me smile every time I look at it.

That same sister (I adore her!) loves to handmake intricate things, just like my daughter. She made these delicate macrame earrings for me that rock out any outfit. Who would’ve thought that macrame could be beautiful? Chris Ann likes to say, “Let’s bring ugly back!”

The message in the box of this Tocca lotion, is Fancy. It’s a great reminder to make yourself Fancy.

What was Fancy to you this week? We’d love to hear!

We’ve relaunched Fancy Friday our weekly linky party.  It’s now Fancy Friday Five! Every Friday we’re inviting you to join us at the table and share what 5 things were fancy to you.  And along with the change ~ there’s been conversation about what “Fancy” just might be.  We don’t want to give you the impression fancy has to be expensive, rich, overly done or beyond one’s reach.  Fancy, to us, is closer to what good ole’ Webster’s says fancy is.

1. An image or representation of anything formed in the mind.  2. A whim  3. Inclination; liking, formed by caprice rather than reason; as, to strike one’ s fancy; hence, the object of inclination or liking.  4. That which pleases or entertains.

And we’d like to add ~ FANCY should inspire you & make you happy!

Here is my Fancy Friday Five ~

Last weekend we celebrated Kristin’s 4oth birthday party.  She’s blowing out the candles on her Sweet And Salty Cake (made by one of her teenage sons).  It’s a favorite and the same one that she made for one of our LoveFeast parties.  It was sooo delish!!  I highly recommend it if you have something FANCY to celebrate like blowing out 40 for your candles!

Do you know what this is?  Hookah!  It’s a FANCY Indian way to smoke tobacco.  Normally do I smoke?  Noooooo….Going to a Hookah bar is a fancy way to celebrate your bff’s 40th birthday.  The adventure of trying something new is fancy!

When I got home from Baltimore there was a box on my step and guess what was inside?  Our new Spring Pumpkins!!  Don’t you love this color?  So “pantone color of the year“.  It makes me smile.  These are going to look FANCY on my table!

Yesterday I went out, did some window shopping and got my hair cut.  I wore an old old skirt I recycled out of the back of my closet, in an outfit pulled together with some new “sale basket” tights from Anthropologie that Kristin and I found.  New “found” outfit?  Fancy.

The snow barely came and left quite quickly this year in Minnesota.  I still have a mound of dried Allium that though seemingly fragile has determined to survive basket balls, the dog, the weather and the kids.  With the sun peeking through it’s dried petaled it reminded me that spring and garden season is right around the corner.

Another box on my step from earlier in the week was my welcome to Blissdom package.  I’m excited to meet and mingle with all the other “Blissdom” gals ~ it will be a time of  “fancy” inspiration.

That’s my fancy recap.  Parties, hookahs (who knew?), velvet pumpkins, tights and boots, flowers, and a reminder of a Bliss-ful getaway.  What made your week inspired and fancy?

I’m a bit giddy this morning! Chris Ann is on her way to Baltimore along with her husband Todd, to help me celebrate my 4oth! We will be getting together with a bunch of old friends and new tomorrow night at a local Indian restaurant.  This weekend will just be the icing on the cake to a wonderful birthday week!

My Fancy Friday Five was hard to narrow down.  I was treated like a queen all week by my family.  And can you believe, they kept the 40, over the hill jokes to a minimum.  At least, most of them did.  The cards I received would be up there in my top Fancy Friday Five…and look at this card, from my friend Melissa, she cracks me up!

Melissa softened the blow by giving me this beautiful little number.

My daddy sent me flowers.  Getting flowers from your dad, never gets old.

My kids pulled together their money and gave me a night out on the town with my man.

And how can I choose the fifth Fancy Friday Five, from the other gifts my family thoughtfully chose for me? Sorry, I just couldn’t do it.

What is your Fancy Friday Five this week?  Remember, there is no right or wrong way to participate in Fancy Friday Five. For more info, click HERE.

Link up your post, grab a badge and thanks for joining us at the table!

Here’s another peek at our lovely and unique HeartGram™ featured this month in our LoveFeast Shop.  We just had to give you another look at what is making our customers’ hearts go pitter-patter! 

“When I received an email from LoveFeast with the Valentines gift box I immediately ordered two sets, one for me and one for my mother.  I then shared the email with my sister in-law and great friend and they also ordered a set.  These pumpkins are fabulous and a great treasure to share with friends!”  ~ Michelle Feb 2, 2012

Our HeartGram™ are going out to grandmothers, friends, family, sisters, and sweethearts!  We think they are the perfect way to let someone know you are thinking about them this Valentine’s Day!

There are just 3 more days to order to guarantee a Valentine’s Day delivery ~ Order through February 9th.

Each HeartGram™ includes a vintage inspired Valentine postcard with a place for you to add your Valentine message.  (After you place your order, just email us and let us know what you want it to say!)

Nestled inside is a set of  heart-shaped velvet pumpkins, each with a unique and beautiful stem.  The PP sign on the bottom of each pumpkin insures the quality and the originality of the original Plush Pumpkin brand.  We are thrilled to have collaborated on this one of a kind Valentines gift ~ the HeartGram™.

You can purchase a HeartGram™ set in Rose & Crimson, or Crimson & Rose , or a matching set ~ $55.00

You can also purchase single HeartGram™ in Crimson ~$35

You can purchase the single HeartGram™ in Rose ~$35

The heart-shaped pumpkins are set carefully in a box of crinkle, with the the vintage postcard placed on top.

And tied with a beautiful satin bow and sent to you or your Valentine from our LoveFeast Shop!