~life is an adventure~ {& a giveaway}

For the next 2 weeks you will not find me blogging.

Nope, I will be here.

Having fresh fruit for breakfast by the pool….

 Snorkeling in the ocean during the day….

 And going for midnight swims here.

It's a tough job, but someones gotta do it.

Cancun here we come!

The bags are packed, the puppy is off to boarding school, the house is being looked after by 2 very nice people, who are also watching the old dog.

I have scrubbed every inch of the house.

What is it about going on vacation that makes me want to clean?

I do like coming home to a clean house, but I've been touching up paint, washing windows…….

I guess I am just trying to pass the time quickly.

Ok, so here is the fun part for 

YOU!

Tiffini, who blogs over at House Of Belonging offered 

to give you one of these super cool baseball t shirts in the color of your choice.

Pick from red, below, black, green, orange, or blue.

And that is not all!

You get to pick one up for a friend as well!

Someone perhaps that you would like to see start a new adventure?

How sweet is that?

Just leave me a comment on this post telling Tiffini and I what your biggest dream or adventure is.

You can also win by following Tiffini  and/or I  on Instagram, Facebook, or pinning this shirt linking back to this giveaway! 

Please leave a separate comment for each entry, and make sure to leave your email address.

I will pick a winner when I return.

And be sure to follow me on instagram for your daily dose of Mexico!

Look for me wearing my adventurers shirt!

Find Tiffini on instagram here

Find me on instagram here

Find Tiffini on Facebook here

and

find me on Facebook here.

~adios amigos~

xoxo

~watercolor canvas'~{85% off!}

A while ago I was showing you how to make watercolor Valentines with the 

Waterlogue app. 

Well, I took one of my photos and turned it into watercolor,

{using that app}

then had it printed from Canvas People on a 8x10 gallery wrapped canvas.

I love how it turned out.

What do you think?

I've ordered from this company before, in fact, 

you can find them on the upper left hand side of my blog. 

But, this is my first time ordering a watercolor one, and I am very happy with it. 

Right now they are offering 85% off all their canvas'

{yes~85%! limited time only!}

Click here to order yours!

xoxo

~a cake lovers recipe notebook~

Tell me this is not the prettiest cover?

I was recently gifted this gorgeous recipe notebook by Jane Brocket, 

and I loved it so much I thought I 

would share it with all of you.

It's full of gorgeous photos and recipes, as well as pages you can add your own recipes.

This would make a great mothers day gift, if you are thinking that far in advance!

I found the book on amazon. 

Link here.

xoxo

~lesli devito custom pet portrait winner~

Wow that was a lot of entries!!

Over 3001

Someone is going to be very happy to win a custom pet portrait…..

And that lucky winner is……

Julie and Greg!

Congratulations, be on the lookout for an email from me or Lesli.

Cannot wait to see what you have done.

Have a lovely Valentine's Day friends.

xoxo

~thrifty thursday~{stir stick ombre picture frame}

This project started out with my husband cleaning out his garage.

He brought me a box full of stir/paint sticks and asked if I wanted them.

Here is what I made with them~

An ombre picture frame, and I will show you how you

can too.

 Cut the stir sticks to the correct lengths.

You will need long pieces, as well as short pieces for the middle.

Then you will need a unfinished wood frame. 

This one I got at Michaels craft store.

 Here are the short pieces for the middle, they will go on either side of the opening.

 Lay everything out on your frame before you go any further.

This way you can make any adjustments before gluing down.

 I decided to go with pinks for Valentine's day, but you could do any color combination.

 For the ombre affect, start with a light colored paint and gradually make it darker and darker.

I started with white, then added a light pink, then

 I just started adding hot pink as I worked my way down.

 Set the sticks aside to dry.

 While they are drying, you can paint the sides of your frame.

 For the next step you will need wood glue and a disposable brush.

 Once everything has dried, you can brush wood glue all over your frame.

 Start applying your painted wood pieces as you had it laid out in the beginning.

 Place heavy objects on top and let dry thorougly.

 Add a picture to the center and you are done!

xoxo

~lately loving~{bits of pink}

What do you think?

 Do you like bits of pink in decor?

xoxo

~sweetheart brownies~

This is a super simple recipe that turns out every time.

When they are done baking, let cool and invert onto a piece of wax paper.

Flip it back over and use heart shaped cookie cutters to make these adorable brownies.

Enjoy!

xoxo

~custom pet portrait giveaway~

So, there is this lady, this artist, named Lesli Devito. 

I started reading her blog months and months ago because it made me so happy.

She used these fun yet calming colors in her rooms, colors that, if I were brave, would use myself.

Gorgeous right?

Yep, if  I was brave, I would paint my house and decorate with these fun colors too.

She's gifted, I tell ya.

Then one day I realized that not only is she a gifted decorator, but she is a real life artist and the most

amazing painter.

Check out some of her work:

{and it's not limited to pets!}

This girl bleeds talent I am pretty sure.

Back in November, Lesli emailed me wondering if she could have my address so she could send me a Christmas card.

So, I gave it to her and forgot about it.

Several weeks later I came home to find a package on my doorstep.

I opened it up and cried.

Cried like a baby for a good 45 minutes,

then I cried some more.

Sneaky gal that she is, wasn't needing my address for a Christmas card, she had painted a picture of our beloved Harley that disappeared in August. 

She found the photo on my blog and painted it from there.

I cannot tell you how much this looks like Harley. My husband honestly had a hard time even looking at it because it is so dead on. 

My daughters friends said that the woman who painted this surely has Harley because it looks so much like him!

It was one of the sweetest gestures ever, and I will treasure my painting forever.

Well, now it's your turn.

Lesli has graciously offered a custom pet portrait for a my sweet savannah reader!

She is giving away a 16 x 16 painting valued at $390.00.

Not only does she paint dogs, but any animal.

Horses, chickens, pigs, cats, you name it, she can paint it.

Please read the instructions carefully as there are several chances to win this.

You must include your email address if you do not have a blog that links back to one.

You must leave a separate comment for each entry on this post.

Entry #1~ Follow Lesli's blog, my old country house

Entry #2~Like my old country house on Facebook 

Entry #3~Follow her on twitter

Entry #4~ follow Lesli on Pinterest

Entry #5~ Pin any image from this post

That is 5 different chances to win!
{shipping to US and Canada only please}

I will pick a winner on Friday and announce back here.

Happy Monday friends!

~a 100 year old farmhouse~

I saw this house on House Beautiful's website and couldn't believe it's a 

100 year old farmhouse!

To see all the photos click here.

There's something about black and white that gets me every time!

xoxo