Custom Order for Michelle F.

Ordered 10 single petal snaps for her daughter. Client emailed me the list of colors and size she had in mind. I had so much fun putting this sweet collection together.

To place a custom order, please visit www.rufflesandsprouts.com.

From the Garden to our Table

Fresh herbs are easy to grow and they don't demand a special garden or bed of their own. You can slip a few basil plants among the roses or edge the front of a summer flower bed with parsley.

A new survey by the National Gardening Association shows that 43 million U.S. households plan to grow some of their own parsley, thyme, strawberries, tomatoes, beans, peppers or other crops this summer.

Challenging economic circumstances appear to have raised awareness of the value of homegrown crops. A package of basil seeds costs less than $3. You can sow the seeds right in the garden and your investment returns a flavorful profit all summer long. At a grocery store, a small plastic bag of fresh basil leaves, enough for a day or two, costs $3 to $5.

You can learn more about herbs at www.herbsociety.org.

Special Order for Mary O.

Requested a few cute accessories for her granddaughters to wear in their hair. With no specific colors specified, I enjoyed the creativity involved in putting this collection together. The 4 Petal Snap pairs are 1.5 to 2 inches in diameter. The 4 larger single Petal Snaps are approximately 2.5 to 3 inches. Some of my favorite pieces are in this collection.

To place a custom order, please visit www.rufflesandsprouts.com.

"Before" and "After" Girls' Room

The things that have spawned from the pursuit of creative ideas sometimes take me well into the night, but I love the artistic process and working during these quiet hours.

My daughters inherited my old bedroom collection from earlier years. Wasn't sure at first how I was going to update it? In the end, I had so much fun giving all a crisp, new look. Here's the "BEFORE" picture:

My girls were displaced into their brother's room for the three days AND nights I worked on their room. Here's the "AFTER" picture:

Decided to go with a mix of flint gray with sage green accents. It's fabulous what a new coat of paint can do to an old furniture set. Their room has become a calm and peaceful retreat.

Creative Courage

To watch my children create is one my greatest joys! The delight they in turn also get from using their own unique artistic expression is contagious and fabulous! Hmmmmmmm? I wonder where they got this from?

Falling in love with the rewarding, creative process no matter what the end result may be is a beautiful thing!

The Old Red Rocker

I love this precious moment caught between father and son. We had just finished eating Sunday dinner at my mom's house. Josh took Cade out onto the back screened porch to rock him in the old red rocking chair.

Happy Easter! Happy Spring!

Hooray! Let the Easter egg hunt begin! Can you feel the anticipation? In the grass and hedge, the treats weren't easy to find, but the girls persevered to find all of them.

A Room for Baby

I finally put the finishing touches on my son's nursery this past week. It has become a soothing and peaceful retreat.

My favorite piece of furniture in his room is the rocking love seat. The girls like to cozy up on it with us for story time before sleep. It's become a preferred bedtime treat.

Our Rainstorm

Rain is one of my favorite sounds. I noticed Caden quietly listening to it fall against his window pane this morning.

Despite the gusts of wind, it was so peaceful and it stayed awhile. We enjoyed this wonderful, wet and blustery day.