Weekend in photos

Over the weekend Ryan and I went to the west coast to stay with my parents for a few days. While there we kayaked, celebrated 2 birthdays, had family dinners, went shopping for Labor Day sales and watched Barney and Teddie (the dogs) wrestle until they passed out. As always it was great seeing my grandma whose cancer is now in remission!!!

My mom uses her Rustic Ruddy's wood to display picture frames

Fall beer and cider is finally in stores! Along with darker nail polishes 

Gizmo, Barney and Teddie. This was one of the few times they were sitting still

During the birthday celebrations I set up cupcakes on our wood

Rustic Ruddy's handmade wood

We're open for business!!! Rustic Ruddy's hand carved wood slices are available for purchase on Etsy. Our wood is great for centerpieces, table numbers or can even be used as a guest book. I would say these are mainly for rustic weddings and events but I have one on our coffee table and my parents have one on their kitchen counter and it looks great as home decor especially in the fall.

Ryan cuts the wood into slices and sands them down. He even burns words into them to make it personal. I take the pictures and run the website. It's crazy how easy these are to make and how much their in demand right now. With just a purchase of a chainsaw there's very little overhead. 

Anyone interested in some wood and mentions FMDTY can get 10% off their order and if you're in the Orlando area I can meet up with you so you don't have to pay for the shipping! We've got plenty :)

Engraved with initals and wedding date

Looks great as a candle holder for mason jars

Big slices are good for multiple candles, cake or lots of mini desserts

Fall mantel 1

This year I've got so many fall mantel ideas that I'm going to be redoing it as much as possible until Christmas. Since fall is my favorite time of year and the decorations are "outdoorsy" and more simple I have a lot more visions. Pine cones, branches and leaves are right outside my front door so when I see something as I'm walking the dogs I start making piles to bring in. (True story; I've currently got a pile of mini pine cones waiting to be brought in.)

I had a gift card to Hobby Lobby that got me the leaves and colorful branches. The little candle holder I got for $1 at Goodwill and I had everything else.

Total cost: $1

Full mantel

Candle holder and fresh pine cones

Real and fake

Center piece on coffee table. Ryan and I will be starting to sell the wood circles on Etsy sometime this week. (Let me know if you would like some!)

Every time I light this candle we want dessert. I had to stop lighting it every night

Tattoo #3

I'm sure many of you are wondering what those coordinates mean that I got tattooed on me the other day. Since today is my birthday and this was my birthday present I figured I'd let you all in on the meaning behind those numbers. I've mentioned my cousins and our trips to Gatlinburg, TN many times on here. But every summer since I was born my cousins and I would stay in my grandfathers chalet in the mountains until I was in 8th or 9th grade. It's where we made up dances to Spice Girls, swam in the community pool and used the sauna, went to Dolly Wood, road go karts, spent our nights in the hot tub and road down the mountain on the alpine slide. Lastly, it's where we made most of our childhood memories.

My grandfather had 4 other siblings who had kids, then they had kids my age. We all live far away from each other so the only times we'd see each other was for a week during the summer. If it wasn't for this location and my grandfather I would not know my cousins. We wouldn't be so close to each other and we wouldn't have been in each other's weddings. For being hundreds of miles apart we still keep in touch and we still make it a point to get together at least once a year since my grandfathers passing so we can keep the memory of Gatlinburg alive.

I know these may just be numbers to you, but to my cousins and I they mean something more. I am honored to wear the coordinates to my grandfathers chalet, it not only reminds me of my childhood summers but it reminds me of the place he help built so it reminds me of him everyday as well.

They are on my side. It didn't hurt as bad as the tattoo I have on the top of my foot

Not just numbers, but a meaning

If you google the coordinates it shows the chalet!

Three

The week started with my parents visiting for my birthday and taking us to see the Blue Man Group. Since kids went back to school this week my sister and I spent a quite afternoon at the lake on Tuesday. I just love going there to relax and jump into the freezing water whenever it gets too hot.

Also, I decorated the first of many fall mantels. More to come on that next week with full pictures.

Allison, Nico, blue man, me and Ryan

Monogram hats are a must on a sunny day at the lake

Top of the mantel