"I Am Just One Woman....."

Good Morning Friends!
Has it really been almost a week since I blogged?.....Other of course from last night when I accidentally posted a lovely picture without any text??...What was that all about?....but thank you to the sweet ladies who left a comment about the lovely picture itself!

I guess my "wordless post" yesterday, was an indication of my last week. As many of you know I have an Etsy shop where I sell hand-stenciled pillows. Well I truly appreciate how busy I have become, however, in the last few weeks the orders were coming in faster than I realized!...A great thing for a business, but I somehow forgot that filling each order takes time!...always more time than you actually realize!

Long story short, I have been stenciling, sewing, packing & mailing around the clock!.....Always wanting to give wonderful customer service ( a holdover from my Nordstrom days!),.... I have reluctantly had to inform customers I was running a bit behind....not something I feel very comfortable with....

I am happy to report that I am beginning to see a light at the end of my sewing tunnel!....Another few days & I believe I will be all caught up!

I have learned a few things in these last few days....I absolutely LOVE my small pillow business. I love making pillows & sending then off to ladies who appreciate what I do. ....however, I also am just one woman. One woman always taking on much more than she can comfortably handle!! Sound familiar?

I am finishing up on the lovely pillow projects I have left....& happily re-opening my shop next week.......

I will also remember that my business is only one part of my life. I will remember there is only 24 hours in a day. I will remember I am just one person. I will realize once again that I am happiest when I have breathing room & time to putter.

love you all......Heidi xo

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"Pink Summer Saturdays"......

What "Pink Summer Saturdays" are made of!

"Raspberry Cheesecake Ice Cream" from Country Living.....

"Pink Saturday" from Beverly at "How Sweet The Sound".....

Enjoy your day!.......Heidi XO

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"Forgotten Corners"......

There are tiny "forgotten corners" in all our homes.....I affectionately call them "nooks & crannies"......& I will admit I love them!......When left alone, these crannies can make a house appear somewhat neglected, but when addressed, these same spaces can add a bit of enchantment to your home!

Here at our house, I have such an area, at the back of our living room, right before you step out on the patio. The space is very small & narrow....however when dealing with a small rental house, you want to make sure each & every space is working for you!....& so I decided to spruce this one up!

I added a small, dark wood, storage unit from Target & then just dressed it out!....
* 1-pretty lamp
* 1- colonial lantern & candle
* 1- white ironstone pitcher, filled with bright & lovely sunflowers
* 1-thrift store mirror, 1 pair of vintage flower prints w/o frames & one charming hook with my garden hat hanging from it.....

This little corner turned out just the way I wanted!...an area to keep all out outdoor/patio items, like towels, flip-flops, a few toys, magazines & snacks,.... all tucked away in the cubbies,.... while the top of the can be decorated like an expensive piece of furniture,....
seasonal, fresh & charming!

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!.........

Your friend, Heidi XO

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"Living Little's" Summer Tablesetting....

A couple weeks ago at my first "Living Little Class", I was sharing ideas for setting pretty Summertime tables. My outdoor table was all done in soft aqua & bright yellow, ....which I think is just the loveliest color combination for warm weather table settings! I used the table on my small patio, right off our kitchen & sitting room.... & everything I used was something I already had on hand!...That was the point! To create beautiful tables without spending too much money or too much time! So this is what I did!.....

Centerpiece was IKEA glass bottles, filled 1/2 full with water.... & a few long-stemmed, grocery store yellow daisies.....I also added a pair of glass cylinder vases, with a bit of sand & white pillars...& a collection of vintage, aqua-blue canning jars, done the the same way with sand & votives!

I decided my everyday white ironstone "diner" plates would look "crisp & classic" with the addition of early, Martha Stewart-K mart salad plates placed on top,.... along with very inexpensive glass bowls from IKEA!.....Kmart water goblets, that I have had for years, &
thrift- store tumblers were perfect for water & sparkling wine!

My napkins were homemade! I used yellow gingham & hand-stenciled each with one single number, 1 through four, for each place setting!....I used acrylic paint & hemmed the edges with heavy-duty iron on tape. And each napkin was adorned with these darling enamel-ware "rose" napkin rings, that I picked up while on vacation to New York City!....So pretty!

Also wanting to use the lids of the canning jars, which are so wonderfully heavy,.... I added just a little sand & votive to each, & positioned them at each place-setting. And as the perfect place-mat, decided to use a gorgeous scrapbooking paper!....Amazing designs & cheap!....What could be better!

I was very pleased with how this lovely table turned out!...It proves that beauty can be achieved easily with a little creativity.... & very little money, time or space!....just what "Living Little with Heidi" is all about!....
So today, look through those cupboards of yours...mix & match....& see what enchanting table setting you can come up with!
You will be surprised at all the possibilities!.....

Have fun!....Your friend, Heidi XO

Note: If you would like to receive my newsletter, "Living Little with Heidi" please e-mail me at heididevlin@gmail.com!

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A Wedding To Remember....

This last Saturday evening my grandson Andrew made his official debut as "ring bearer"!....As his "Nini", I was completely overwhelmed with how handsome he looked dressed in his tux, patent leather shoes & deep purple boutonniere. When did my "grand baby" turn into this darling young man?......

The evening was a very special one for our family! Andrew's father Chris, married the most lovely lady, his fiance,..... "Miss Kelly". The two of them said their vows surrounded by large oak trees & winding paths.... with all the people they love looking on.

As the ceremony ended, Chris & Kelly strolled to where we were all waiting, to be introduced for the first time as "Mr. & Mrs"....... They were simply beaming..... & truly were the perfect couple!

Congratulations Kelly & Chris!....We are so thrilled you have found each other! Wishing you all the happiness you both deserve......Love you, Heidi XO

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Pink Saturday's at the Beach!

Here's to blue skies, white sand & very "pink umbrellas!......
The happiest of Pink Saturdays to you all!
Stay cool...relax... & enjoy!
& as always,..... Thank you to Beverly at How Sweet The Sound for hostessing!

Your friend,

Heidi XO

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"The Winner Is"....... & "A New Swap"!!

Happy Thursday Friends, A couple little announcements today!.....First a sincere "thank you" to all you ladies who left a comment for my "b e a c h" pillow giveaway a couple weeks ago!!...I love that darling pillow & it seems many of you do too!
I am thrilled to announce that the winner is Cindy from her pretty blog, "Only Me Here"! Cindy your pillow is on it's way!! Congratulations!

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The second bit of news is about my late summer "AQUA & avocado Vintage Swap"! Just had to squeeze in one more swap before we head into Fall!....Here are the particulars for this swap!

1- You can sign up from now till August 1st. Just fill out the information sheet below & send it to me at heididevlin@gmail.com.
2- partners will be assigned & e-mailed out on August 2nd.
3- you will need to make up & send off your box by August 20th.

Now as with most of my previous swaps, the emphasis is on "VINTAGE"!....However, along with some authentic vintage pieces, please feel free to fill-in with other pretty things that are suited to your partner's tastes & interests! You can add a little"homemade", recipes, etc.... as long as "vintage" is represented! You can also add, along with our theme colors of "aqua & avocado", one other color your partner may love! The budget is $20 w/o postage....so creativity will need to be used!!!
If you are interested in joining me, please e-mail me your information sheet at heididevlin@gmail.com
Here's to "AQUA & avocado"!!!!

Your friend, Heidi XO
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Information sheet:
Name:
Address:
E-mail address:
Blog:
Favorite color: ( other than aqua/avocado)
Style:
Interests:
Collections:
Favorite Scents:

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"Summer Blues".......

This morning I awoke after the most wonderful sleep.....This first half of Summer has been very busy for this family of mine, but I believe we are now ready to slow down & truly experience the second half of this amazing season. This last Friday night, was my first "Living Little" class,...& may I say it was a simply wonderful evening!.....I will be posting photos & sharing all about it in the Summer issue of my newsletter, "Living Little with Heidi", which is almost finished & will be sent later this week!.....Thank you so much to all the ladies that participated! I so appreciated it!.....

So far this Summer, we have had a couple small, close by, "vacations".....a lovely "bridal shower" for someone we love very much.....a "dinner with good friends" on our patio....."dinosauer camp", & of course my "Living Little Class",...... etc. etc. etc. .....I have thoroughly enjoyed it all, but now am ready to truly immerse myself in Summer!......

And there is no better way to post about Summer than with the color "blue"!...So this morning it is all about "Summer Blues"......Blue hydrangeas, blue flower pots, a sweet little blue linen pillow & of course delicious "blue-berries"!....This morning they are lovely "inspirations", but in the weeks to come I plan on making each a reality!.....Planting more "blue"......painting more "blue", designing with "blue".... & baking with "blue"!!

This morning is the "First day of the rest of Summer"!....I plan on savoring every minute!.....I'm off to enjoy coffee on the patio,..... & spend much of my day making pillows,..... but between stitches, I will be making time to enjoy my "Summer Blues"!.......

Come join me!......

Your friend,...... Heidi XO

Note: "Beach" pillow winner will be announced tomorrow!.......and a "Late Summer Swap" as well!...see you tomorrow!

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Celebrating Pink Saturday & my Daughter's New Designs!

Happy Pink Saturday once again!....Today's post is all about the incredibly enchanting new children's clothes from "Wendy Miracle"...a new Etsy shop specializing in the most adorable skirts & dresses for the tiniest of little girls!!....And I must say I especially love this talented shop owner...who just so happens to be my daughter Mallory!....a.k.a. "Wendy Miracle"!

Mallory is designing & sewing constantly, adding darling new items weekly!...Please go visit her shop, where the clothes are bright & beautiful!.....and where there is lots & lots of "pink"!

Thank you to Beverly @ How Sweet The Sound,......for hostessing this week's Pink Saturday!.....
Off for a quiet & relaxing weekend!.......Your friend, Heidi XO

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"the Deliciousness that is Summer"......

"Easy Cherry Pie"

Good Morning Friends, Hope you all are settling into the relaxed & slower-paced rhythm of "Summertime". Here at our house, "schedules & to-do lists" have been somewhat abandoned, .....replaced by wonderful afternoons spent chatting with friends & much, much later than usual bedtimes.
It took us a while, with most of June being quite busy, with Andrew in dinosauer camp, a couple short vacations & hosting a bridal shower.....but now July is upon us & life is moving at a much slower pace.....making me very, very happy.
Yesterday I began the morning checking on my tomatoes & basil, which are both doing exceptionally well!.....Breathing in their sweet aroma was to me the
epitome of summer!...cannot wait to actually be picking & making meals with these two favorites!
So onto the subject of today's post!....."pie making"!...Now I have never been a great "pie maker"!....Being married to a man who favors a delicious cake over pie crust,....I somehow have ignored learning how to make a fabulous, envy evoking, old-fashioned pie!....

Nectarine-Blueberry Pie
Since life is slowing down a bit around her, I am hoping, in the next few weeks,.... to learn a little about crusts, fillings & crimping!.....& I will certainly be sharing my adventures with all of you!

Double Blueberry Pie
So to begin, I have chosen three amazing recipes ( or I hope they will be?) from
Country Living!.....
Easy Cherry Pie ..........
Double Blueberry Pie ........ & Nectarine-Blueberry Pie.

Wish me luck!?......
So in the next few days,..... hopefully my kitchen will be filled with sweet scents,.... drifting over my garden & patio...adding to the deliciousness that is "Summer"!
Have a lovely Wednesday Friends!.......I am off to enjoy my morning coffee & assemble ingredients!.......

Your Friend, Heidi XO

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PINK SATURDAY & July 4th!...Enjoy!

"God Bless America"

May you all have the loveliest Independence Day!

.......& Happy Pink Saturday as well!

Thank you to Beverly at How Sweet The Sound....

Your friend, Heidi XO

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Working...July 4th?....& a "Giveaway"!

July 1st?...
I can hardly believe it?.....This week has been spent do just the opposite of what this time of year is known for!...WORKING!.........No picnics, no vacations & no swimming at the beach!?

...but that 's O.K. Because of my diligence, I am almost caught up! I am looking forward to a weekend of barbequed food,... red, white & blue & fireworks!

To celebrate "Summer" & our nations birthday, I am having a little "giveaway"!....My charming "beach" pillow!!!!...from my etsy shop, Heidi Devlin Design!...All you need to do is to leave a comment & I will randomly pick a winner on Sunday, July 4th!
Good Luck to you all!
Heidi XO

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"Pink Saturday & English Country Style"....

I have always been drawn to the "soft, lovely, cottage-y feel" of English Country style!...and no one does it better, than the English company "Cabbages & Roses"!....Home decor, clothing & fabric, "Cabbages & Roses" is the epitome of what I love when it comes to this simple, yet romantic style. Soft pinks & dusty roses,.... worn antique pieces & a charmingly disheveled feel is what I love the most!

So for this Pink Saturday I take my hat off to England,.... it's country homes.... & enchanting interiors!....ala "Cabbages & Roses"!......and thank you to Beverly @ How Sweet The Sound for encouraging us all to hunt for..... & post about.... the best in all that is "pink"!
Look around & search for the "pink" that inspires you!.....
Happy Hunting!.....
Heidi XO

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One of those days, when all my projects are calling,.... but all I really want to do is get a great magazine, my coffee & spend my morning on one of these lounges!... I hope you all feel like that sometimes too?....You do,...don't you?

It's not that today's "to-do's" are ones I'm dreading. In fact they are all things I like & have looked forward to doing.....sewing....making favors for a friend's party....& preparing for a bridal shower, I myself am giving this weekend..... All perfectly lovely activities!....but still those lounges are a calling!

So off I go to attend to my tasks,.... with a good attitude & a smile. But don't think for a minute, that sometime this afternoon, I'm not going to give in to those lounges!

Enjoy your busy Wednesday!

Love, Heidi XO

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Lots of Announcements!.....

Today I decided to post all "my announcements" all at once,....please forgive the "advertisement" atmosphere of my blog today,.... but this is all great information I am very excited about, & I hope you might be too!..... so here goes!.....
The first is about my monthly newsletter, "Living Little with Heidi". Obviously it is the middle of June & no newsletter has been sent yet?....I so apologize.....Our family ended up planning a little vacation, which set me back a bit & when we returned it has been busy, busy, busy!.....So I decided to combine the June & July issues, which I promise will be going out in the next couple days!....
I also wanted to say a very appreciative "Thank you" to all of you who have been requesting "Living Little"!....It has been overwhelming & humbling to have so many of you ladies asking to be on my mailing list!.....Thank you again!
( to receive my newsletter, e-mail me at heididevlin@gmail.com)

My next announcement is about my upcoming "Living Little" class on July 9th, here at my home in Poway, California!....I have just sent out the information sheet for the class, so if you are interested in receiving one, please e-mail me at heididevlin@gmail.com......It should be a wonderful evening of ideas, how-to's & delicious recipes!

And last but not least, I have to tell you about the incredible "giveaways" my daughter, Holly, has going on today over at her darling blog "mommyholly", to celebrate her 500th post!!.....You must go see for yourself & leave a comment to be eligible to win some of the most amazing items!....( I am giving away a pillow too!)

O.K. I'm all finished!....I love hearing about what others have going on, so I hope you do too!
Enjoy your Monday afternoon!....
Your friend, Heidi XO

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Weightloss Update......

Happy Sunday & Happy Father's Day!......In a few minutes, I am off to wrap my gifts & bake cakes to the two special "dads" in our family.....Our celebration will be this evening so I am not quite as behind as it seems! :)
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I also wanted to post about this last week,

"weight-loss wise".
Last week we went on a small family vacation to Palm Springs, CA....a couple hours away from where we live in San Diego....We stayed in a hotel that offered rooms that included kitchens, so we were able to make our own meals, which helped so much when trying to eat healthy!....

The resort also had the most glorious pool area!....Just gorgeous!....So yes, I was putting on a bathing suit....not really comfortable walking around in one, but this is my life & my vacation & as my daughter Holly always says, "this journey is a marathon, not a sprint!"...so I am going to enjoy myself with swimming & sunbathing!

I basically tried once again to focus on fruits & veggies & did quite well doing so!....Not lots of exercise this week, which I regret, since I did indeed let my "busy-ness with work" take over there....but overall feel I did quite well this week!

Yesterday when stepping on the scale at Weight Watchers, I had lost 1.2 lbs...which makes my weigh-loss total for the last two weeks.....3.6 lbs.!..
This week I plan to exercise more & have already scheduled in "walking" for many days this coming week!.....

Also need to find some great low-cal recipes!....So if you have any recipes you would like to share, please send them my way & I will post them next week!
Here's to another great week, taking care of myself first!...
Make it a fabulous week at your house too!.....

See you next Sunday!......Your friend, Heidi XO


This weeks weight: 269.0...loss of 1.2 lbs. this week 6/19/2010

Original weight: 272. 6/6/5/2010

Total weight loss: 3.6 lbs.

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Pink Saturday is Going Vintage!....

This week my Pink Saturday post is going "vintage"!......."Vintage hankies" that is! Are these not the sweetest, old-fashioned floral hankies you have ever seen!....
And this idea from "Country Living" is as charming as they come!....Just sew an assortment together for the loveliest table runner ever!
Maybe "antiquing" is how you're spending your Pink Saturday?...If so, keep your eye out for some beautiful old hankies!
Thank you Beverly at How Sweet The Sound for hostessing!

Enjoy this "pink" day in June!

Your friend, Heidi XO

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"A Summer Table for Friends"......

Last Thursday, I had my group of dearest friends over for one of our "get-together" evenings! .....We have been doing this for some time now, getting together each month for dinner, chatting & getting caught up with each of our busy lives!....
It works well, with everyone contributing to the meal & the hostess having the fun of setting a pretty table & creating a "warm & inviting atmosphere" for her guests!

Since I was hostessing this month, I decided to have us dine on my patio!.....So I began putting my table together.
It all started with these clamp-lid glass bottles from IKEA.....& 2 bunches of long stemmed "poppy-like" flowers from Trader Joe's ( they have a great selection of afforable blooms!)

I added a few stems in each bottle, each half-filled with water....
( looks much more interesting than entirely filled!).....
& placed them down the middle of the table, casually winding them around a pair of glass cylinder vases,...... where I had placed pure white pillar candles on top of a bed of pea gravel.
Also scattered a few more tiny votive candles throughout.....for a bit more sparkle!

Amazing what happens when you combine the following....
1- Walmart folding table (6 foot)
*
1- very gathered, home-made burlap tablecloth
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9- everyday white diner plates
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9- soft, checkered dishtowels for napkins ( these are just used as napkins for the time being!)
*
9- K-Mart Martha Stewart glass water goblets
*
"my collection" of mis-matched thrift store silverware

As the clouds rolled in.....We all enjoyed a dinner of grilled salmon, corn pudding, Greek salad, fresh berries & warm sourdough bread!....(Along with a delicious appetizer of hummus & pita bread & amazing cupcakes for dessert!)

Such evenings are what summer is all about!

"Good friends....Good food....Good conversation"
Make some summer memories of your own!

Love, Heidi XO

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A Simple Tutorial...."Creating an Area for Kitchen Basics"

In my kitchen, I use certain "basic ingredients", each & every day...You know,.... salt, pepper, olive oil, etc. .....In doing so, I have to have these ingredients out where they are accessible, not shut away behind cabinet doors.....
Over the years I have used all kinds of containers that house all my "culinary necessities"!....With my kitchen now though,.... which is quite small, I don't have room for anything large, but still want the convenience of having my things right out where I can reach them! ....I happened to come across this charming white tray at IKEA a few weeks ago, which is perfect for my new "next-to-the-stove" container!...I believe it was around $2-$3 is all & I just love it!

I took this lovely white tray, which measures approx. 6"x15" & placed it to the right of my stove.

Near the back, I added the tallest items I like to cook with,...my silver pepper grinder, and a bottle of olive oil fitted with a spout top.

I also added a couple old shaker jars that house my garlic powder & sea salt....I have had these bottles around for years, just because I love their graceful shapes....So pretty!

Then in front, a small ironstone dish always filled with kosher salt, which I love to pinch & quickly add to any recipe!
Together these few basic ingredients help me prepare & season our meals, as well as adding a bit of charm to my kitchen counter!
If you haven't yet created such an area, you might think about doing so!...As you can see, it couldn't be easier, plus it helps make you look like a wonderful cook!....

Happy Cooking!......

Your friend, Heidi XO

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