Camp Skaug

OK...Grandma Jill...I would like to humbly welcome you to your new guest room...
Welcome to Camp Skaug!!

In the past week or so, as you have probably read in previous posts,
we have done a little remodeling, restructuring and reorganizing around the Skaug House.
As Had moved up to A's room, and my sewing room moved down into Had's old room...
it freed up our existing guest room with a little more space and the need for a mini-makeover.
Now please forgive me for being so terrible for taking 'before' pictures.
I just get too caught up in the moment in what I am doing to remember to or want to take a break to grab my camera.
The guest room has ALWAYS been referred to as the 'knotty' room.
(take note that's
k.n.o.t.t.y.
NOT
n.a.u.g.h.t.y.).
When we purchased our home this particular room was specifically noted for it's knotty pine walls and built-ins.
It was a definite selling point for me.

Anyhow, since Jas doesn't give much decorating advice and is pretty laid-back about how I style our home,
I thought that I would give him a room that represents one of his biggest passions
hunting and being outdoors.
But of course I had to give it my own vintage twist and decided upon
a Summer Camp theme.
I LOVE IT...and so does he (or so he says).

The teal dresser on the right belonged to his Grandma Agnes...
and Jas' parents decided that since it didn't really fit the style of their new home,
that IT needed a new home and we were more than happy to welcome her.
Not only because we are crazy-sentimental about things,
but also because 'she' has style and class.
Looks a lot like a line of bedside tables that PotteryBarn has for sale currently.

This is what it looks like as you ascend to the top of the stairs and look to the left.
I have had the suitcases on the left since my college days.
I think that they set a good tone for visiting.

A and I have been collecting any sort of deer figurine that we come across.
This ledge created the perfect spot to display a few of our favorites.

This great patio chair has special meaning to me.
Last summer, while out scouring for treasures,
I met an older gentleman by the name, Frank...
HE WAS ONE-OF-A-KIND!!
...and had some of the coolest treasures.
Of course, he wasn't ready to part with everything...
...but he would always leave me hanging with...
"Nah, not this week. Check back in a few weeks. I may be ready then."
Long story short...
after stopping in every few weeks for a few months,
Frank passed away.
S.A.D.

I contacted his wife and shared with her 'our' story
and asked if she would mind if I had the chair.
And to my surprise, she was more than welcome to share.
So this will ALWAYS be
Frank's Chair.

These little lunch boxes were originally Bri's...
...then Margee bought them from Bri...
...and now Margee is 'loaning' them to me...
until she needs them back.

Another picture of our nightstand.

OK...NOW TO MY FAVORITE PART OF THE ROOM.
***quick side note***
I woke up this morning with an extra girl
(neighbor girl who had a sleepover with A)
and an extra boy
(neighbor boy who I watch during the week)
and EVERY anticipation of going out searching for treasures with my favorite
PARTNER IN CRIME...
Dawn!
She was loading up her 4 girls
and not to be outdone,
I was taking 4 of my own
(2 biological and 2 borrowed).
We had come across a sale that was sure to be one to go down in the history books.
Well, simply put...
...not so much!
However, I did find a few things that I
NEEDED for our 'new' guest room.How great is this???
A vintage paint-by-number coloring book
and of Wild Animals of all things.
This was without question
Meant to be!!!This is the color code on the back.
Now again, I am way to sentimental to actually paint in this book.
HOWEVER, I am clever enough to get copies of some of our favorite pages and create my own masterpieces...
...and if I am feeling particularly generous,
I may even let A do her own.
(cause let's face it...these are most cute when a young child has completed them)

I also found this cool water jug.
The pattern is PERFECT
to be included in our little hide-a-way.

And last but not least...
A set of leather tags that I am assuming were used for the farmer's heifers...
I {love} everything about them.
I especially love that every one of them in unique and different...
I just wish I knew what the starts symbolized.
Hopefully, it's not the number of calves they have had.
YIKES!!
***one of them has 13***

I know these don't necessarily go with the whole
'camp' theme.'
However, they do serve as a great bargaining tool to use later with Dawn.
I am sure that she'll come across something this summer that I will just
have to have...at which time I will forfeit these to her.
UH-UMMM....laundry basket.
(refer back to post titled: No Boys Allowed)

And last but not least...
this cute, little cast iron pot.
It's tiny...but it will be the perfect little votive holder.I know that I didn't find all that many treasures...
I did find some that were put to use as soon as I got home.
Oh and the price you wonder...
let's just say I spent probably 4 times as much in gas to get there as I did in purchasing my goodies.

Oh and last but not least...back to the guest room.
Let me introduce you to Jas' prized possession,
Carlos,
(No, not our cat)
a buck that Jas shot a few years back.

Although I don't know much about hunting (aside from how many points an deer or elk has), I am assured that this is a pretty awesome 2-point to have mounted on your wall.

So there you have it Grandma Jill (and whoever else may have happened upon my blog post)
our newly made-over guest room.

Each time I go in there, I can't help but get the camp song:
"Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh.
Here I am at Camp Granada.
Camp is very entertaining.
And they say we'll have some fun if it stops raining".
I may have to find a copy of this camp song, frame it and put it on the dresser.

And if you would like to stay for a visit at
Camp Skaug...we are currently accepting reservations for the upcoming summer months...cause let's face it...
WE LOVE VISITORS!!

Happy Three-Day Weekend to You All..
Hope it is restful, productive (if you want it to be)
and spent with those who love you most

Outta My Way...Im on a Roll

I completely forgot how much I L.O.V.E. blogging
(and how much I love getting comments).
So here I go...
two posts in one week.
YIKES!!

A few weeks back,
Jas and I had begun discussing the idea of our two girly's
sharing a room.
It is something we had always thought would be a good idea.
I think that sharing a room teaches children to:
-compromise
-share
-be generous
-tattle
(the last one is something that I am thinking may come in handy more when they are near jr. high ages)
I am hoping that they will try to get away with less if they think that the other may tattle on them.
I'll keep you posted.

Here is a picture of what A's room looked like before I started the transfer.There is so much light in here...
I love it...
I think that it encompasses everything that a little girl's room should be.
Feminine without being too frou-frou girly.
(We don't do frou-frou well here)
I also love all of the custom trim work that Jas did a few years back prior to moving A up there.

Here is the after.
I know!...not that much changed...
I just straightened out A's bed
and threw a crib in the corner.
TA-DA!

I must admit though, I do like it.

Here Had is demonstrating how she is now big enough to crawl into her bed 'all by myself.'
Now don't go thinking that we leave the crib rail down all the time...
only before she climbs in...
and then up it goes.
That is until she falls asleep.
Then we sneak back up there and lower it...
sound crazy?
There actually is a method to our madness.
A is a VERY HARD SLEEPER
Had...NOT SO MUCH.
So in the instance that Had wakes before sissy,
she can crawl out and come downstairs without waking A...
who is not pleasant when woken before ready.Before too long, Had's crib and A's gorgeous twin bed will be replaced by...
get ready...
ready???
You sure???
TWO MATCHING VINTAGE, PALE YELLOW TWIN BEDS
Complete with turned spindled head boards.
Hard to envision...
Let's just say they are NOTHING short of INCREDIBLE!
They belong to my dear (and incredibly generous) friend JoAnn.
And as soon as I can get over to her house and help organize the room that they are currently in...I get to bring them home.
Trust me...there WILL be an entire post dedicated to them.
They are too great not to exploit.

Anyhow, back to my original motivation in getting Had upstairs...
it cleared up a room downstairs.
Hmmm...what ever shall I do with a free room.

WOOT-WOOT!!
New sewing room for me!!

I had outgrown my previous sewing space a LONG TIME AGO.
Mainly, because that space doubles as our guest room and is not a large space to begin with.
And although, I had used every spare inch of room available and it forced me to stay incredibly organized...it just wasn't the most convenient.

Which brings me to this!!!
MY NEW SEWING ROOM!!!
This is my cutting table.
It is an amazing vintage drop-leaf table that Margee so generously traded me for.
I love it.
It's very sturdy...but also has femininity to her...
I mean look as those legs.

I am in love with the amount of light that comes into here.
It keeps me cheery and motivated to get my orders complete.

I know...orders, right?
It's true.
My sewing business has been slowly flourishing.
For instance, these cute 'tie-tees.'
The two on the outside are for an upcoming wedding
for the ring bearers.
And the one in the middle is for a friend of a friend.

And of course, my new sewing table.
This too came from JoAnn...
...in it's previous life it was a vanity in the bathroom of one of their rentals.
It was green and had a giant gaping hole in the top from where the sink had sat.
So I sanded it down, Jas gave it a coat of white paint and a concrete top (leftovers from our kitchen counters) and I got some butterfly knobs for the drawers.
It was previously in A's room
(you can see it in one of the above pics)
But it works perfect down here.

And our current computer desk.
I know!
It's not the cutest and does not continue with the theme of donated vintage goods that the rest of the room carries...but for now it'll just have to do.
That is of course unless you have something incredible that you would like to replace it with...
in which case,
I am accepting donations!

Here it is as you stand in the doorway and look in.
I smile each time I walk by it.
I can't help it.

I decided to create my own make-shift clothesline to display my current creations.
Turns out to be a great place to take pics of them and upload them to my facebook album.

Here is a picture of my new, dear friend Kristal.
Actually, we have known each other for quite some time...
it's just recently that we have gotten a little closer.
She's an incredible mom (she had a great example) to these
absolutely adorable boys...
and although you can't tell...
there's one more on the way.
Pink, maybe?
Her boys are both wearing one of my 'tie-tees,'
and couldn't have been more handsome models.

Did I mention that Kristal has her own photography business that she has recently launched?
She's amazing gifted and down-right affordable!
Check out her blog:
kristaljoyphotography.blogspot.com

This is the very first creation completed in my new room.
It's an address banner for a friend.
I will soon be starting on some more goodies for her front porch!
Can't Wait.

Another 'tie-tee.'

A pillow from my newest collection.
Perfect for spring and currently available at
Windmill Gardens in Sumner, WA.
There are others similar to this that say:
egg and nest.

This one was created just in time for Valentine's Day!
I love the contrast!

Another set of custom ordered and designed shirts for a friends twins.
I know what you're thinking...
twins??
Are you kidding me?
The shirt on the left is twice the size of the one on the right.
He's just growing a little faster...
but from what I hear...what she lacks in lbs,
she makes up for in 'sass.'

Aren't they the cutest things EVER?
And red-hair to boot.

I AM IN LOVE!

They are also the first of 3 sets of twins that 3 of my friends have had.
I don't think I want to take that chance...
...I think we'll be done with two...
...maybe?

These are some name signs that were ordered to hang on the doors of each of these kiddos nursery rooms.

So there you have it...
in a nutshell.
A VERY LARGE NUTSHELL,
with a lot of pictures and long-winded commentary,
some of the recent changes that have been taking place at the Skaug House lately.
I figured I had better get them done now while it's...
cold,
wet,
windy,
dreary
(can you tell February is NOT one of my favorite months)
...because spring will be here soon and then we'll be outside playing and planting.

But amidst all of the physical changes happening around here,
there are still a few constants:
-I am humbled by God's love for my family and I
and the Blessings he so generously allows for us,
-My husband is my best friend and helps me to be a better person
-My girl's are sassy, caring, smart and downright hysterical
-I have some of the best, most generous and sincere friends I could ever dream of
and
I STILL LOVE ME A GOOD STARBUCKS GRANDE, NONFAT CARAMEL MACCHIATO.Yummy!!

P.S. Coming soon: Pictures of our NEW AND IMPROVED guest room...
Grandma Jill...get excited!

Please Excuse My Absence...

HOLY MOLY!!!

...where has the past 4 months gone???
Was I abducted by little green martians???
Or was it the holidays...crazy weather...hunting season...
...or was it a handful of different holiday boutiques that I was invited to participate in.
Maybe it has something to do with the fact that our home computer decided that it had spent enough time with us and was ready to pas on to that bright light in the sky.
OH WAIT!!!
It was ALL of the above.
Like many of you our holidays came and went in a quick blur...
so I decided that in what little time I had to spare, I was going to spend it
with my two little loverlies (and give blogging a back seat).
We spent numerous hours snuggled in front of the fire
playing games, reading books and watching
'Scooby Doo, Where are you?' As Had puts it.

We managed to spend some time outside enjoying the beauty that winter bestows upon us in the Pacific NW.
The above photo is a picture of frozen drops stuck to one of our little trees.
God creates scenery that man could never imagine.

We got together with good friends and let our little girls run-amok in PF Changs.
As I previously mentioned I was invited to participate as a vendor in a few different holiday boutiques.
Here is my space with my lovely (and incredibly helpful) friend, K.
She made that day so much fun...and was in charge of finances.
I look forward to her help again in the near future.
***Did I mention she is a 1st born and therefore knew what I was thinking even before I was thinking it***

And of course Christmas came and went...QUICK!!
But we had a blast.
I won't overload you on pictures...because there are MANY...
so I'll just share my two favorites...
Here are the girls searching for more presents...
...and here is A with Jas aka "Awesome Dad."
A's school had a 'store' in which she could secretly shop for us with the help of volunteers.
THIS IS WHAT SHE PICKED!!
That girl has taste...not olny because Jas loves anything CAMO...
but because she recognizes that she does in face have an
'Awesome Dad!'

We spent time with extended family...and in the process ate too much.
This is Jas' Aunt Sue with my cuties on Christmas Eve.
It has become tradition that we head to Jas' Aunt Judy and Uncle Rick's home and spend time with any other relatives that are in town.
It has also become tradition that I gain 5 lbs during that 4-5 hour visit
because Judy makes the most A.M.A.Z.I.N.G Seafood Chowder...
...complete with shrimp, crab, lobster.
(again, in case you missed it...A.M.A.Z.I.N.G!!)

For New's Years we drove over the mountains to visit Jas' mom and dad and also spend time with Jas' brother, Brian and his family.
We don't see each other nearly as much as we would like,
so any time we can be together...we are thrilled.

Here are Had and Oobie making scrambled eggs for breakfast.
Can you tell by the look on her face that she can't actually believe that she was able to talk him out of the whisk.
HEE HEE HEE

The girls got some much needed snuggle time with their Grandma Jill (according to A) and NiNi (according to Had).

This year a new tradition was started
(I think after a night of too much port wine and testosterone)
The Skaug men...(that's right, I said men-not women)
have begun their own Polar Bear Club.
Here the girls are all bundled up and ready to go support their dad as he takes the plunge.

Did I mention that it was on 17 degrees out that morning and that they had to chainsaw a section of ice away in order to create an area of the lake to run into.
Again...this is a Skaug men tradition...not women...PHEW!!

Here are the 'sane' ones ready to support those as they get ready.
'Hey...someone has to take the pictures...right?'

I know it is hard to tell but Jas ran in so fast that he was on his way out as the others were just beginning their ascent in.

Really hoping to rally some more guys to participate in next year's plunge.

The drive home is, on average, 3 hours...unless they are doing construction on the highway and then it can get to be upwards of a 4-5 hour drive home.
The girls did great...of course that it unless we pass the last rest stop or off ramp for a 15 mile stretch.
I know that doesn't sound so bad...but when you are moving between 2-5 mph...that changes the scenario a bit.
That's right...no restrooms or anywhere to pull over for 15 miles...and this is when they both begin complaining that they had to 'potty.'
I do pride myself in being a little bit resourceful...
...so thus the girls each 'mooned' for the first time.

That's right...I hung their buns out the window and...well, you can figure out the rest.

A was obviously more thrilled at the experience than Had was.
***Don't judge...if you don't have kids, you don't have room to judge*** :-)
Desperate times...call for desperate measures
Oh and Jas has done some pruning recently.
I guess he's entitled to a little 'man-time' every now and again.

OH and WE GOT SNOW...
a few times actually!
Luckily one of those times was on a night when A didn't have school the next day.
We got her all layered and bundled and grabbed Ole and she and I went on our first late night
'Snow Walk!'
I am not sure who had more fun...her, me or Ole.
I do know that it is something that I won't soon forget and hopefully, neither will she.

Her is a picture of Had on another day when we were blessed with the white, fluffy stuff.

So that is a quick, condensed version of our past 4 months or so.
I do have more exciting things to report...but I'll do that in another post.
Gotta keep you wanting more...and this post is already longer than I expected it to be.

Loves to you all and hope that your holidays were full of friends and family and love and laughter.