Life at a "Swell's" pace

Five on Friday: Spark of Loves this Week

It's the weekend again and I am so happy. The last few days, here in the Willamette Valley, the sun has been out and I feel almost guilty saying that because everyone else I know is getting snow and ice. We've had a fair share of days without the warm sun, so the guilty isn't all that bad for me. We are sure to get our share of winter weather still to come, we always do. This sense of "false spring" always hits us right about now, so I am going to soak in these rays and not feel bad at all! :) Here is a bit of what made my week special.

1. This Book Domino from the Seattle Public Library.

Because it's totally awesome!

2. These sweet kitty.

Because she's old and I love her.

3. This bather.

Because Bluejays are quite annoying sometimes, but this one was fun to watch as he bathed for a long while.

4. This science project.

Because we aren't sure what to do with it quite yet, but it will be amazing when we do!

5. This wall painting.

Because I free-handed it onto the kitchen wall, and I still like it every time I look at it.

And.......

These balloons.

Because they were just floating by one day, out of nowhere.

You can join this weekly five by visiting, Christina at North Carolina Charm and adding your link of five things that made your week, to her list. What five things made your week special? Join the link-up and let everyone know.

Have a great weekend!

What happened this time last year?

Simple decor with vintage bottles

Vintage bottles are my weakness and when I started having a bit of an issue finding a home for all of them I decided to come up with a better decor plan. Sticking with one of my New Year's Resolutions, I decided to make the decor as minimal as possible. What better way than putting them up in a unique and eye-appealing way. Here is what I did to achieve this quick, and easy bottle display.

I started with some simple bottles I gathered up throughout my house. They were pretty much everywhere and perched on top of picture frames, bookshelves, and even window sills. If you don't have bottles like the ones pictured above, you can always frequent antique stores, or second-hand stores to find them.

I used heavy twine.

Tied a loop around the bottle neck of each one.

And hung.

I filled each one with something different and eye-catching. Feathers, dried flowers, lavender, etc.

The hung bottles seemed to mesh well with the other decor in the great room.

Now to figure out what to do with the other larger bottles. Hmmmm.....

What happened this time last year?

Five on Friday (Spark of Loves this Week)

It's Friday and that means another Five on Friday. I've been on a little hiatus from the Five on Friday, but I'm back now and ready to tell you about all the fun things happening here on the west coast. Here are the things that made my week, this week.

1. These Halloween Finds:

Getting organized means finding things you forgot you had. Could have used these at Halloween, but I just found them, so I will hold onto them and use them next year. My goal for 2015 is for two simple things, get organized FINALLY, and get into shape. Two simple goals should be easy to achieve. *fingers crossed*

2. This Karate Kid:

Skylar has been getting jiggy with it in karate class. He is currently a purple belt, but moving on up in the colors to become a black belt. I am so proud of him!

3. Wrapping these Gifts:

It seems that Christmas doesn't end with my family until well after February. That stands true for me, when it comes to mailing gifts to family and friends from Oregon to Arkansas. I always say, it's great because it extends Christmas for everyone. Funny enough, I will be mailing my parents their gift packages today.

4. This old Photo:

My Aunt Paula that lives in Oklahoma shared this old picture with my sister and me. I love it so much! I am the one that's second from the right. My sister is on the far left. My mom always dressed us in matching dresses for family gatherings and Easter.

From left to right, Kendra (my sister), Kellie (my cousin), Kevin (my cousin), Sara (my cousin), Me, Chance (my cousin).

5. This red Car:

This Convertible Car is up for sale from us. We have had it since Skylar was three, but it's just taking up space now. If you're in the Willamette Valley, Oregon area, let us know if you can give this cute, fun car a new home. Here's the listing on Craig's List with all the deets.

One last thing. I wanted to take this week and brag about one accomplishment I am very proud of. I made the very last payment on my student loan recently and couldn't be more happy to be done with that payment. After $58,000, I can officially say that I am student-loan debt-free. Whoopee!