Lovely Springtime Birthday Party Themes for Girls

 Little Gnome via Piece of Cake Party

My little Ellie is going to be 1 soon, and she gets more confident in her walking each day! She is my one and only girl and so when I see all of these fantabulus birthday party ideas, I think they would ALL be perfect for my special, toddling baby! Babble has put together 25 lovely spring party ideas, and these are a few of my favorites.

 Water Color Party via Handmade Home

 Ice Cream Social via Chic Cheap Nursery

 Sweet as Pie via Pizzazzerie

 Make a Wish via Frog Prince Paperie

 Vintage Pony, via Hostess with the Mostess

 Vintage Chic via Zsa Zsa Bellagio

Horses are our Friends

Severely emaciated? No, but emaciated none the less. It happens all. the. time. Am I a horse expert? Certainly not. But the conditions of these horses struck me as pretty pathetic and having ridden on healthy horses before, these did not strike me as healthy or nourished. These three horses are right by the road, the fence is so shoddy and open at points they just had a large tree trunk thrown around one hole to keep the horses in, and barely enough grass to eat.

The stable looks as if it's about to fall down and yes, there are a few horses in there. So, I did call and complain to the proper authorities about a week ago. I drove by today and one horse is gone, though perhaps he has just been moved to a farther field. This is a stables company after all. The other adult and baby remain.

 I wish I had gotten a picture of the other side of this baby, it had a scaly looking welts all along it's trunk.

 Rib cages and hip joints are not supposed to be so prevalent in a healthy, well fed horse.

Be an animal friend! Especially in this hot weather, where I see countless animals chained outside with no water or shelter, or locked in hot cars That's like putting your pet in a microwave. You better believe I will bash in your window if I see a dog or cat or CHILD locked in there. People don't realize that the temperature rises severely in cars and can and DOES lead to death. I adopted a kitten the same day (I saw these horses) because it was being given away outside a store. The poor thing was panting. Kittens don't pant unless they are having heat stroke. Come'on people, it's well over 100 degrees out right now.

If you witness something amiss, don't be afraid to contact the authorities! In the case of the horses, I don't know if they are severely being mistreated or what. But by calling it in, I leave it in the hands of the experts. So, no harm done if all is well. If it isn't, than hopefully steps will be taken to provide a safer and healthier environment for these magnificent creatures.

Inspired Room: Designing with Mustard and Chartreuse

I love the combination of everything here. It seems like too much mustard, but the soft floral pillows in the pinks, the roses, the pale blue throw and those industrial light fixtures make it all work. Not to mention the lovely rug, wow. The picture frames matching the legs on the sofa and the dark wood floors add balance through color. Artful Arranging

I may not have revealed this before, but mustard and chartreuse are two of my favorite decorating colors. Decor8 had blogger and Color Consultant Rachel Perls write a little about decorating with these colors here.

Create your own diy silhouette portraits tutorial here

I believe this room is simply perfection.  Mustard looks great with so many colors, but if you want it to pop, keeping it in clean lines and paired with black and white geometric prints seems to be a crisp, and popular choice. One thing I love about decorating in neutrals, is adding and removing colors on a whim is so easy. Living etc.

 "Designers Jean Norman and Meredith Ladik love peeks of art or photography on bookshelves, atop mantels, inside display armoires, or in unexpected spots, such as leaning against a chair back."Artful Arranging 

Even adding these colors to an outdoor space can really brighten up a dreary patio that doesn't boast much color or have a lot of flower garden elements.

A mustard chair, white plank floors and gray polka dot walls with a wallpaper flanking a white mantle, industrial pendant lamps, and aqua vintage duck caddy and a lovely table filled with books. A bear statue with a horse and cowboy photo on the mantle... every element is gorgeous. House to Home via decor8

The chartreuse pillows mixed with aqua and a touch of pink is an interesting mix, but it works. I love the polka dots mixed in here with the geometric pattern on the rug. House Beautiful via Home Designing.

Same with chartreuse and the geometric prints. I love how they went with linen and chocolate instead of black and white to keep the crispness, without being too harsh. ~ Taylor Howes

I never would have thought I would have like the red comforter just laying on top of the blue blanket before... but I love it! And that bedside table, beautiful. The mustard comes in the form of design in the headboard, the upholstered chair and golden tones on the frames. Living etc.

"Very small pieces of art can sometimes drown in big expanses of bare walls. Instead, seek out cozy spots to tuck these tiny treasures. Try the back of a bookshelf, an oddly shaped corner, or minuscule stretch of wall in a small bathroom or kitchen" ~ Artful Arranging

For those who love color, adding small doses in a variety keeps a comfortable feeling without being married to a specific color and  design concept. This is a good way to add in new colors, that one would typically find too bold or shy away from.

I love the simplicity here. Usually the small photo over the bed would annoy me, but because the room is s basic, but with a clear design and minimal color concept, I am quite fond of that little sock monkey.  the 10 cent designer via sfgirlbybay.

I can imagine, that this wall color changes throughout the course of the day when the sun shines through the home, then again when it withdraws. I love the natural wood and white with the mustard walls. Aren't those pendant lights amazing? Joe Nahem via Elle Decor.

Gray, now I'm in heaven. A blast of mustard yellow in the art and the flowers are gorgeous. But the pairing with the gray sofa is my favorite. Elle Decor design by Nate Berkus

This is the same sofa design as the first photo, but without the industrial lights and new pictures, and the chartreuse and mustard remain on the lower half of the room only. Creating a little gallery wall like this is easy... directions here and the peonie download here. Artful Arranging

If you are still not sold on these colors, and you don't want to go out a buy a new knick-knack, pillow or can of paint to introduce it to your room... then settle with a bouquet of flowers to see how it brightens your area.

Homefront: A Horse's Tale {and Vintage Globe Bookends}

I finally had to chance to scour the neighborhood antique mall last week and oh, what a joy it was! I am itching to go back already. And the wonderful thing, is that my two young sons love going and seeing the treasures as well (strapped safely in the confines of our bulky double stroller, that is).

I came home with a few vintage bottles, an amazing metal enamel daisy chandelier that I got for a song, some prisms and this lovely book and globe bookends.

Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry and illustrated by Wesley Dennis is a tale of a horse brought overseas, survived a shipwreck and brought joy to a little family. Apparently, there is an actual foundation for this book to preserve it and the history, as well as a fanbase since it was based on a true story! If you are interested in taxidermy, this is Misty and her daughter in the flesh.

  

  

I was wanting a lovely old story to read to my children, and I'm so happy to have found this little treasure. There is something wonderful about seeing the names and dates of the library card (last checked out in 1976 by a little James Harris), and the smell and feel of old, worn, yet treasured pages.

I also have a love of horses, as evident in this post here. This painting of the horses swimming reminds me of the rescue of the Netherlands horses. (If you watch the heartwarming video) it may be wise to have  a box of tissues near by).

For those wondering about the music in the video, it is *believed* to be Vangelis' main theme from the film 1492 — Conquest of Paradise.

These wonderful vintage globe bookends I found are amazing as well. The globes have such detail and they actually spin! My boys, as well as myself and enamored of them. Don't you love them? If so, I found some that are very similar on Etsy HERE, and some on Ebay HERE.

Do you collect old books? Are they more for stacking together and as design elements to you, or do you also read them? 

*ps for moms... that blue spined book you see on the left, Busy Book by Trish Kaufner... excellent activity book for kids! Tons of crafts and recipes for playdough, paints, edible crafts and more fun learning ideas.... this one I have is for toddler age, but there are other age groups available as well.

Those Lovely Horses

bohemian girl

I have always loved horses. Their smell, their wild spirits and mild yet fiesty hearts, their strength and power. Their grace and beauty and stubborn love. Even as a girl, some of my favorite films have always been Tonka and Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken. Pegasus, unicorns, My Little Ponies, Arabians, Pintos, Mustangs... doesn't matter, I love them all.

fairy tale meadow ~ create love laugh

Once, while horse back riding with friends on a narrow canyon trail, I thought of their powerful bodies trotting over those little rocks and how vulnerable we were to a tiny little slip of a twisted ankle...

alicia bock

michelle k. a.

lori andrews

Another time, a wild horse named "A Horse With No Name" (a stubborn old lady), she took me for a wild ride through brush, down a hill side and off to chase some old cows. I definatly held on for the ride and sheilded my face from low thorny branches. I came out of the forest, clothing in shreds, hair a mess, a bloody lip, black eyes, scratches covering my face and arms and sticks in my hair, but boy... did I love that horse!

arthur sakhkalyan

traci (mrs. french)

if i could pick just one ~ blissful images

bradfordcg

I believe that was the last time I went horse back riding, yet how I have yearned to go again. Every time I see THIS VIDEO of the 100 horses being rescued from the flooding island in the Netherlands, I cry. The score (Vangelis- Conquest of Paradise) has something to do with, I'm sure. I also have a hard time with the forced spectator horse fighting and treatment and conditions of city carraige horses as well.

the gentleman- tracey capone

the whispering horse- irene suchocki

I truly had a hard time picking which horse images to choose for this post. Knowing that this magnificant creature is still out there, working, grazing, running in the sun, nuzzling up to a mate or a wee one, I feel as if a part of their spirit is captured in the photo and I wouldn't want to hurt their feelings by not including it. Truly, I want to gently rub down their noses and softly sing them a song. But that is crazy talk, isn't it.

chris friel

josh murfitt

margo love

Then, I heard about Molly, an abandoned victim of Huricane Katrina. She was alone for weeks, and when finally rescued and taken to a shelter for the animals, she was viciously attacked by a pitt bull and lost a leg and her jaw. She was to be euthanized, but her protective and caring demeanor won the caretakers over. Through love and support, she was able to get a prosthetic and now serves as an inspiration and bringerof hope to those in nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, shelters and hospitals with her sweet spirit and loving personality.

nika f

alfheiour eria

Thanks to mrs. french's post on sfgirlbybay for reawakening my horse love.