A Summer Party {and where to get Tissue Paper Flowers on the cheap!}

So if you're interested in having your own summer party, you might like to see how I did my Spring birthday party.

I had a color palette I worked from, with a few slight modifications. :D

I added a little lemony yellow and hot pink to the soft peaches and creams and light pink.


Here's my list of party supplies:

Hanging Tissue Paper Flowers and Lanterns

Mason Jars for drinking glasses and lights

(already had those on hand!) 

With lids and pink-and-white striped straws.

And I found those at JustArtifacts.com! 

If I were a proper blogger I'd be getting some kind of compensation for telling you about this website, but nope, I am just sharing a great resource with you because I'm nice like that. :D 

So here's what it looked like!

We decorated our carport with the tissue paper flowers and lanterns and set up tables all around for the guests to sit at and enjoy the party food. Later we cleared them out of the way for the games. :)

The Lemonade Stand! :) My dad helped me make this a cute photo booth! We used scrap wood we already had, a plastic folding table, a plastic tablecloth and chalk from the dollar store. :)

Here's one of the flower bouquets on the tables. I got the silk peonies and roses from Hobby Lobby.

The set-up...

Already having fun serving ourselves some yummy punch and strawberry lemonade!

Here's what the glasses looked like - super adorable.

Since I have a bajillion beads on hand, I made a little game with some that matched the party colors.
Any idea as to how many there are? Oh all right - there were 224 beads! The closest guess was 235 and the guesser won a prize of a big box of starburst candy. :D

The photo booth was really cute. The backdrop is a vintage sheet I found for $5 at a little shop in town, and the photo props I found on sale at Hobby Lobby and customized myself. :)

There's Victoria!! She was invaluable as my set-up assistant, could NOT have done it without her! :)

My cake! The candles are from walmart (as is the dotted tissue paper beneath the cake stand) and the cake I bought from the deli in town - it's strawberry, my favorite! And it was so delicious. Totally worth blowing my THM plan for, just this once. :D

The strawberry lemonade and the fizzy peach-lime-kiwi punch were a big hit! 

Mama and Mark helped light all my two-dozen candles and then I blew them out in one breath. :D

Besides the cake, we also served:

• Mini Quiches
• Lunch Meat & Cheese platter, and bread & sandwich condiments
• Pasta Salad with cherry tomatoes

It was all very tasty! :) I was having so much fun that I didn't take as many pictures as I should have, but the memories will last forever all the same. :)

Hope you enjoyed that little glimpse! Do you have any plans for parties coming up this year?

North Georgia Adventure | May 2015

Intro: If you still remember that blogger called "Julia" - I'm honored! No blog posts all year, and here I am again, popping into your blog feed! Well, it's crazy how fast time flies these days. It seems like the older one gets, the faster the ride. Pictures become more valuable, because they're frozen moments you can always look back on. :)

I had a lovely winter and spring. Some of the things I did (after publishing my novel, of course) -

• Traveled up to Michigan for my grandparent's 60th wedding anniversary party, where I reconnected with a sweet friend named Victoria G. (who blogs HERE)
• Went down to Florida to visit my other Grandma and saw the beach in November - chilly!!
• Had fun at the Rock Ranch Staff Christmas party
• Steadily babysat an adorable blond tot (and now he has a baby brother!)
• Worked for the month of January at the deli in town (such fun!)
• Started Trim Healthy Mama (more on that later!!)
• Professionally photographed and staged our log home for sale and listed it online (Pray about it for me? Still waiting on a buyer)
• Celebrated my 24th birthday in style with a spring-themed party :) Victoria came to visit me!! We had a blast. 
• Went to Florida again, and celebrated my Grandma's 90th birthday!! Wow! We had a birthday shopping trip and I found a fabulous dress. 
• FINISHED WRITING the second book in my Agency series, DIAMOND, which is due for release mid-June (eeek! So excited about that!) 

And then... I went and had an amazing adventure and stayed for a whole week with my sweet friend McKenzie (whose wedding I was in as a bridesmaid - first time in my life I was one!)

And this is what we did...

The first evening I was there, we went for a drive and saw not one, but two gorgeous mountain views! And there were blooming flowers everywhere, Mountain Laurel and Rhododendrons. Gorgeous!

I know, right? WOW.

And here are the two cuties who put up with me for a whole week:

Yes, there was considerable newlywed mushiness - I didn't mind! Research for one of my novels!! ;)

Then the next day, McKenzie and I mustered up our girl power and hiked Mount Yonah... only the second highest point in Georgia. Uh-huh. And even stopping for breath on occasion, we made it to the rock face in about an hour and a half. Boo-yeah!

This isn't even the top, more like halfway up. So blue. And serene. *inspiration galore*

Did I mention the gigantic boulders studding the mountainside yet? Here ya go:

That little human is me! 

I will never forget the feeling of exhilarating triumph as I took the last few steps onto the top of that mountain. I actually screamed "WOOHOO!" at the top of my lungs and pumped a fist in the air. There were very few other hikers around to notice this momentary display of craziness - so I started singing "Top of the World" by Anthem Lights for good measure. :D McKenzie found it amusing.

Here is a terrible picture out the car window so you can see what I'm talking about:

Ah yes, and here we have a specimen of the delightful Mountain Laurel, with blooms that bring pink peppermints to mind.

The next day, we took it rather easier (My muscles didn't complain overmuch of the terrible trial I'd put them through - perhaps they were appeased by the very rare treat of strawberry cheesecake ice cream) McKenzie and I went shopping in a darling, bigger-on-the-inside antique mall full of unusual and curious things. I found a complete matching set of all the Winnie-the-Pooh originals by A. A. Milne and snapped them up.

But anyways, McKenzie is a master at hair. Even my mid-thigh-length slippery silky tresses. Look what she did!

Oh, and their little garage apartment (which is dollhouse-esque in its sweetness and layout) also happened to enjoy the privilege of sharing the landlord's pool. We took advantage of it all week. :D

And then on Wednesday we took a day-trip (In Kenzie's gorgeous white Camry) to Helen, GA and strolled around like tourists and I took about five bazillion pictures,

The horse-drawn carriages were a big draw!
We didn't try it out, being content with our own on-foot mode of getting about. 

^ That, my friends, is my first cup of coffee. EVER. And from what I'm told it was very mild for coffee and full of cream and sugar and some caramel flavoring. I still thought it was really strong, but it tasted like the coffee place smelled and the experience was fun. Don't think I'll adopt it as a habit, though!

Speaking of the coffee shop ^ It was SO cute, and honestly smelled amazing. (Not quite as amazing as the fudge-shop, but it was a close second!) McKenzie was in heaven. :D The bartender (barista just sounds so wrong to say about a guy!) was friendly and helpful and looked so much like a hipster we were both holding back laughter. :)

Downtown Helen, you were charming. I'll come back one day! I'd been there before as a child, but seeing it with fresh eyes was wondrous. Also walking to Anna Ruby Falls - which were just as loud and crashing and pretty as I remembered.

The last full day I was there, McKenzie and her husband Daniel took me down to an unassuming place called "Panther Creek". The trail was ten times rougher than Yonah Mountain (which was plenty rugged) - I mean, in places we were literally climbing down tree roots and picking our way along a path SO STEEP, each foothold was about three feet down apart from the next.

But it was worth it because at the bottom awaited us a glorious, raw, wild view of THIS WATERFALL...

It was like encountering a majestic beast that just waited for you, and let you come right up close to it. The water streaming through the huge pool at the base was not very deep and we waded right out to the rocks that the water tumbled over.

I actually went barefoot, in the rough-sandy river. Ya'll, I wear flip-flops in the house. That gives you an idea of how free I was feeling at this moment. :D

This last photo, McKenzie snapped of me with her phone as I sat perched on a rock after we'd ascended a branch of the trail that led us to the very top of the falls - I was looking off down the river. I think it captures just a hint of the grand and overwhelming inspiration that infused the whole trip.

More on that inspiration later, but for now - I'm blogging again! I'm going to shoot for a Monday-Wednesday-Friday thing and I already have a month's worth of posts scheduled in advance. So here goes! Hang on for the ride with me! :) Julia's Journal is not done yet. This is the 500th post, and I still have more stories to tell!

Love & Hugs,

In Which I Was a (Barefoot) Bridesmaid

My sweet friends!

Life has been full for me this past month! One of the most wonderful events was the wedding of my dear friend, McKenzie. I could not be happier for her and was incredibly blessed to be part of her special day. 

In the craziness of it all, I didn't take many pictures (or even bring my 'real' camera!) so a few of these are snatched from facebook and uploaded from my iPhone, just so you know. ;) 

 Mason jars, twinkle lights, burlap, lace, candles, and some of the fluffiest baby's breath I've ever seen combined to make a DARLING reception at the bride's home, Pecan Pastures.

But I'm getting ahead of myself!

Ohhhhh, this picture. Every girl deserves to be the most beautiful woman in the world on her wedding day, and just look at her... wow. The pre-wedding bridal shoot was done by Kaitlyn Wright (whose pictures are fall-out-of-your-chair STUNNING, in my opinion).

Three of the nine bridesmaids, the bride's sisters and cousin (middle) - such gorgeous girls! 

It was a pleasure to create the jewelry for all the bridesmaids - more pictures later, in another post! 

The ceremony was held in this graceful old church - aren't the columns striking?! :) 

Hey there! (Haha - this picture makes me think of the scene in National Treasure 2 when Nicolas Cage is peeking over a huge bouquet at Abigail in an elevator in Buckingham Palace) 

Ok, this is possibly the most makeup I have ever worn in my life, but it was a special occasion and there was lots of photography involved. The very precious Beka Lavender touched up my face for me and even managed to leave my eyeshadow job (that I'd done myself) alone! She's amazing! :)

Katie!! She's too sweet, and I am so happy to have met her through this experience of bridesmaiding together. ;) 

Doesn't this puff of adorableness, otherwise known as the flower girl, just make you melt? She was towed down the aisle in a little wagon by the ring bearer, as she's still a baby. AWWW.

I could NOT have done this without the support and encouragement (and WOWZA hairstyling help) from my awesome mother. And doesn't she look beautiful in her pink dress? I was flabbergasted when we found that for her at a thrift store for $8, practically brand-new... score!! :D

And I couldn't believe it when I heard from my sweet online friend Courtney that she would be driving four hours to attend the wedding!! She and the bride have been penpals for ages. It was amazing to finally meet her in person!!

So many cute handmade signs at the reception! The bride's family worked so hard to get everything done, and they did a stellar job! 

Such loveliness! Under the pecan trees, on the green grass, tents and satin-draped chairs and sweet tea and lemonade and wedding cake! Not to mention a table heaped with southern goodies like cheese straws, toasted pecans, and chicken salad-stuffed crescent rolls. 

My first photo with the bride - and the groom photobombed it spectacularly. I CRACKED UP when I saw this picture. She's got herself a keeper, for sure. ;) I am so glad Daniel found McKenzie, they make a perfect pair!

:D They're married!

If Daniel and McKenzie have a marriage anything like my own parents, then they will be blessed indeed. :D I'm so glad my Daddy and one of my brothers could come to the wedding, as it was the first time I'd ever been a bridesmaid. :)

And yes. All of the bridesmaids were barefoot. *shrug* Not my thing for sure, but I'd do just about anything for McKenzie, and it was what she wanted! I was just happy the dresses were floor-length! Something about going shoeless in church was so strange! ;)

Stay tuned for more posts, I'm writing one as soon as I hit publish on this one, because a couple of days ago........ I was on TV. :)

It's not about me... but thanks.

What do you do when people say you're awesome?
When people compliment you, tell you you're talented, smart, beautiful, creative, and amazing... how does one react?

The wrong way to respond is to let your pride inflate like a hot-air balloon and soar up through the heavens until you think you're the greatest thing since sliced bread. Which I *cough* have done before.
(incidentally, what IS so great about sliced bread anyway?)
Another wrong way to respond is to blush, duck around the corner, hide in the ladies' room, and insist you don't deserve a single compliment.

One of the right ways to respond (not THE right way, just A right way) is to smile and quietly say
"Thank you."
I have my bad days. I have my good days. On my bad days, I do not deserve to be called beautiful or amazing... 'cause I'm not. On my good days, I work hard, I accomplish a lot, okay, I deserve a little pat on the back. Not fawning admiration, but a small "thanks". Which I get x100 from my loving family. :) They're so good about saying "thank you".
So. About blog awards.

I received some lately from a very dear (boy, those words seem so insipid. What an understatement) wonderful, sweet friend ... Rachelle.
I also got one from Lizzie, a past winner of a jewelry giveaway I did! :)
And Charity also awarded me! I enjoy reading her book reviews.

Thank you, girls. I appreciate the awards.
From Lizzie:

(According to Lizzie, "Liebster" means 'Dearest' in German)

RULES:

• Choose five up and coming blogs with less than 200 followers to award. Make sure and notify them by comment or e-mail that you did so.
• Show your thanks to the blogger who gave you the award by linking back to them. If you’re not already a follower of their blog, that might be a great way to show appreciation for the award. :)
• Post the award on your blog, and be sure to link back to the 5 blogs you awarded, so that others can visit them.

Fun part! Awarding others! Surely, it is more blessed to give than to receive...

1. Rachelle! Who inspires me to dare and dream and discover. 

2. Rachel! Who is such a sweet and sisterly influence in my life.

(less than 200 followers? oh well....)

3. Sarah! Who heads the MOHL group that has blessed me in countless ways. A good friend.

4. Katelyn! A faithful commenter! (a highly desirable quality in a blog reader)

5. Miss Dashwood! A frequent poster of all things Period Drama. I love her blog. :)

I hereby award you all the "Liebster" blog award.

 From Rachelle:

Oh, my, goodness. This is the cutest blog award I have ever seen. I got it a few years ago, but I'll happily accept it again!

I award:

Melody

Emily N.

and Rose H.

For being "Kreativ" and "Kute"! :)

Strawberries! *snicker* Inside joke. Among the MOHL gals.

 Whom I hereby award! MOHL gals, the strawberry award is yours. :D You know who you are.

I really like this one... It's neat!

I award:

1. Bailey

2. Shannon

3. Lauren Brittany

For being versatile! :) 

From Charity:

I'm an inspiration! Wow. No pressure, right? Right....

I award:

1. Arianna

2. Jessica

3. Delaney

For their inspiration. :)

Charity also awarded me the Irrisistibly Sweet blog award, and a few others I'd already received. :)

And I think with some of these awards you are supposed to post 7 random things about yourself.

*Randomocity*

1. I am not afraid of bugs. I squish them myself. Unless a handy brother happens to be nearby, in which case I calmly and nicely ask them to dispose of it.
2. Today I designed the remaining bits and pieces of the new CD cases for our ebooks on how to make jewelry and how to make duct tape weapons. It was a huge job, but everything came out splendidly! Yay! :)
3. I rarely pay more than $2 for a piece of clothing. I'm a dedicated thrift-shopper.
4. I love talking to people, but in general I hate using the telephone. Go figure!
5. I am going to buy myself a big heart-shaped box full of chocolates this year, because I do not have a 'valentine'.
6. I'm a really good cook. But I plan to get better. :)
7. I am on page 235 out of 378, editing my novel, Lissie.

I hope you enjoyed this post! :) Have a wonderful Sunday!