Apple Blue

And the winner is...

2012-05-25T18:43:00.000-06:00

Thanks so much for all the entries. I'm crazy jealous of Julianne! Tonight I'm kicking off this three day weekend by (hopefully) getting ALL of my online work done so I can be outside and having adventures all weekend. What are you guys up to? Big thanks again to Shabby Apple for offering such an amazing giveaway and check out their ad over to the right. I'm super excited to be part of their affiliate program!

One Girl+One Big Dream: One step closer...

2012-05-24T11:23:00.000-06:00

If you've been following this blog for a little while or a long while, you probably know about the dream. But I'll bring you up to speed just in case. For years I have dreamt of opening my own brick-and-mortar shop. There were LOTS of unknowns in the very beginning, and quite frankly I didn't really believe it would ever happen. And then one day the "if" became "when" and I knew it was more than just an idea. I'll actually never forget the first time I accidentally said "when I open my store..." instead of "if". It completely caught me off guard. There is such power in words. I believed it, heart and soul, and it just came out. No hesitation whatsoever. Something in me changed that day, and a few months later (January 2012 to be exact) I decided it was time to "Go confidently in the direction of my dreams..." That Thoreau dude really said some great things.

Right now I am laying the groundwork for what will hopefully be a very exciting and successful future. For me and my business that means:

I have been putting in a lot of prayer time over all of these different things and it's been overwhelming and exciting at the same time. I have no idea what God will do or say over the next year but I do rest in the promise that He is on the move. I definitely am feeling a tug towards a certain city... which I can't wait to share once I am sure. I started selling ad space through Passionfruit (see the Advertising link above!), launched some graphic design and consulting services, am considering some affiliate programs and will be releasing some limited edition product lines. I'm also taking in every resource available to me and am really excited to attend Alt Summit this January!

The one thing I keep getting tripped up on is fundraising. Asking for money from anyone is a really uncomfortable thing for me, but the reality is that whatever loan I might be able to get from a bank would not nearly cover my estimated start-up costs. And my start-up is low. I plan on building out the space and all the displays myself (with a little help from others of course...) and re-purposing a lot of vintage shelving, cabinetry etc. But I know I will still need help financially to carry this dream through. I'm curious to know your thoughts! Do you like to donate to or financially support the dreams of others? If you see those kinds of efforts on blogs are you likely to give a few dollars or more? Or do you find them just plain annoying? I've seen funding campaigns go extremely well for some people and really poorly for others. Such a tricky thing, isn't it? If only money really did grow on trees.

One thing is for sure, every dime made through this blog, it's advertising revenue and other projects and products will be going directly into my savings account. So your support has never meant more to me than it does right now! You're not putting extra cash in my pocket, you're investing it into something much, MUCH larger. And I love you for it.

Lowry.

2012-05-23T09:03:00.000-06:00

I feel really lucky to be living where I live. After a rough first year and a half in Denver I finally found myself somewhere I really like to be. And since I know I won't be living here forever, it was important to me to take some pictures and share this wonderful place. I have never lived in a nicer apartment which is a great feeling but it's the surrounding town of Lowry that I've really grown to love for it's history and atmosphere.

Starting in 1937, the Lowry Air Force Base was formed. The area is constantly being developed but towering above all the newer homes and retail spaces are old abandoned air hangars and officers barracks. One of the buildings was actually used by President Eisenhower as a summer vacation retreat. The Lowry Air Force base was one of the main locations in which pilots were trained for World War II and I am so incredibly happy that so many of these historic buildings, hangars and even one of the original planes (seen above) have been maintained and preserved. In 1994, the base officially shut down all operations. In it's place they have opened a Wings Over the Rockies museum and transformed the old buildings giving them a new life.

I love this darling old church right in the town center.

The town center is so quaint and vibrant. Lots of restaurants, children running through fountains and cute boutiques.

Here you can see Hangar #2 peeking out between a couple of newer buildings.

I really love living in a place that feels so much like home. Before living here, I lived in the heart of the city. And while I loved so much of that experience, it is nice to live somewhere surrounded by green where I can grab a cup of coffee and take a walk around town meeting the loveliest people and shopping local.

Where do you live? You should do a post and link me up!

Shrimp+Goat Cheese Tortilla Pizza

2012-05-22T07:05:00.000-06:00

I am fully prepared to tell you this was the best pizza I have ever had. Not to flatter myself, but dang I did a good job with this one. As someone who (a) can not stand anything but thin crust pizza (b) gets violently ill if I eat red sauce and (c) is an impatient cook... this pizza was right up my alley. I mean let's be real, you could give me a bowl full of any one of these ingredients and I'd be one happy girl. So how could this recipe possibly go wrong? Leave one or two ingredients out if you like, this pizza will probably just get better. It's magical like that. Without further ado...

The Ingredients:

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I was lucky enough to score these homemade local Pesto flour tortillas from the farmers market but any sort will do. Layer two of them on top of a pizza stone or baking sheet. Using two will help give more structure to the pizza when you're trying to eat it. I had no problems with mine but a fork and knife always works too.

Gather the rest of your ingredients and caramelize your onions by sautéing them in a pan until they turn brown. You can speed up this process by adding a tbsp. of sugar. Lightly drizzle olive oil on your tortilla crust and then use a spoon to spread some pesto all over the tortilla leaving about 1/2 inch from the edge. Use as much pesto as you like. Slice your tomatoes, goat cheese and add those along with the caramelized onions. Top with fresh spinach leaves. Saute your shrimp or chicken with a bit of the pesto sauce in a pan and then add that to the top as your final ingredient.

All ready for the oven? Set it to 400 degrees and place it on the top rack. All of the ingredients are pre-cooked so the goal is to melt the cheese and brown the edges of the crust. Check it after 10 minutes and take it out if it's ready.

I mean, is that a beautiful pizza or what? I loved how the edges of the tortilla turned up like a bowl and the flavors were amazing! I ate half of it for lunch and the other half for dinner and now here I am at breakfast time thinking about making another one today. But I won't. Because that is one slippery slope and Jillian Michaels would kill me.

Shabby Apple Giveaway:

2012-05-21T11:00:00.000-06:00

-GIVEAWAY CLOSED-

Friends, I am SO excited to be partnering with Shabby Apple today to offer one of you a $50 gift card for your shopping pleasure. If you haven't checked out Shabby Apple yet, then you simply must click over right away and take a look. Their beautiful website offers the most amazing collections of dresses, vintage-inspired swimwear, charming accessories and much more! ALSO... enter code "appleblue10off" at checkout for 10% off your purchase!

Let's get down to business, shall we?

Here is how to enter:

Mandatory Entry:
You must "like" Shabby Apple on Facebook and leave a comment here.
Optional entries:
Go to Shabby Apple's website and leave a comment telling me what you would buy if you win!
"Like" Apple Blue on Facebook.
Follow Apple Blue on Bloglovin.
Tweet this "Win a $50 gift card to @shabbyapple on the Apple Blue blog! @applebluetweets http://www.appleblue.org/2012/05/shabby-apple-giveaway.html"

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE! I'll draw a winner Friday night! Five ways to win!
*U.S. Entries Only*

My weekend in review.

2012-05-20T23:57:00.000-06:00

I hope you all had a great weekend! Mine was pretty stellar, I must say. My original plan was to spend most of the weekend catching up on design projects but then my laptop started going spastic on me and everything just got weird. Which means a trip to the Mac store tomorrow and I'm so not excited. However, it was nice because it forced me to get out of the house which I really needed.

I kicked off the weekend with a trip to the store and they had huge bunches of roses for $6 so of course I snagged myself some.

And then when I stopped by my mailbox I was excited to find my stamp from Elise Joy! Get your own right here, she has a great little collection. I can't wait to send out some notes to some of my "favorites".

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The highlight of my weekend by far involved a trip to Home Depot's Garden Center. For months now I have wanted to actually do something with my patio space which has been nothing but a concrete slab ever since I moved in. I ordered some patio furniture a week or so ago and I've been planning how else I can spruce it up. I knew I needed some plants but let me tell you something... I am like the Grim Reaper of Greenery. So succulents and cacti were really the only viable option.

I managed to find this cluster of various succulents, a cute pot and I went to work. I can't wait to share the full patio makeover once it's completely done.

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In other news, I signed up with the totally amazing website Passionfruit ads. I know I mentioned it before and some of you may not be entirely familiar with how it works. So here is the rundown. Ads run for 30 days starting the day you pay for them, so if you purchase an ad tomorrow it goes up on the blog tomorrow. It is so easy to sign up, too! I have one more free ad space left and a killer discount for the Large ad spot right here.

Your support means so much to me.

Must get to bed now! Hopefully I can get things back up and running tomorrow. My computer is totally non-functional if I have Photoshop open with any other windows. Maybe I need more memory? Who knows. I'll let the Genius Bar figure that out. If you're waiting on a design-related email from me I promise I am doing everything in my power to get this squared away! Thanks for your patience. And thank God for warranties. Haha. Goodnight friends!

Guest Wall Art Round-Up: Hillery from Hand Make My Life

2012-05-18T09:00:00.000-06:00

Hey there everyone, I put together this little round up of some simple, yet gorgeous tutorials from around the web that will help you spiff your place up in a jiffy as they all require very few tools and supplies.

1. Easy as pie this almost 3D Geometric box shaped wall art is made from inexpensive and easy to work with balsa wood. Diy dimensional geometric wall art from Design sponge.

2. This gorgeous project comes from Elsie over on A Beautiful Mess. She takes a thrifted painting arranges some sticky letter decal into her favorite song lyrics, then paints over the whole thing with every day white craft paint. Once you remove the decals you have a one of a kind graphic letter print. Song lyric diy wall art from Elsie on a Beautiful Mess.

3. These quick and simple tree branch wall hooks are made from branches you just find out in the yard and are whittled down with a knife to get the smooth flat back. Nothing like a lazy summers day whittling away on the front porch. Diy Branch Hooks from Scandinavian Deko.

4. Not a great painter? No problem this bright and colorful art work is made with paint chips. Super easy and done in an afternoon, frame up with picture frames spray painted a uniform black and you are good to go. Diy paint chip art by Angelina La Dawn Tomato

5. Have an old scrabble game but missing most of your letters? Why not simply nail or glue them to your wall to make these adorable and sweet display shelves you could even display some of your new paint chip art work or song lyric wall art. Recycled Scrabble tray Shelf by Present and Correct

What an awesome guest post! Thanks so much Hillery for putting this together. I'm pretty sure I could find some space on my walls somewhere for these great and easy projects. Couldn't you?

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Passionfruit Anyone?

2012-05-17T18:27:00.003-06:00

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I can't say I have ever tried the fruit itself, but I sure have heard a lot about the new Passionfruit Ad Program. So today I did a little investigating and was pleasantly surprised by what I found. And what I found was a very user-friendly interface, well organized program, and a feasible way for me to do two of the things I love the most. Support other small businesses and artists while not going insane trying to maintain an ad program all by myself. If you've done it before then you know how much work it can be. But I have high hopes that this is the beginning of a truly beautiful friendship. So I'm giving it a go... and we shall see what happens! Click the Advertise button above for some killer introductory discounts like free small ad spots (limited!) and $10 off the large ad spaces. I hope you'll join Apple Blue for the next 30 days!

Guest Jewelry Guide: Jes from The Land of Whimsy

2012-05-17T09:46:00.001-06:00

As a metal smith / jewelry designer accessorizing is the greatest thing in to world to me. Adding that extra sparkle is what makes my day and completes an outfit. It also helpS you stay on trend and keeps your wardrobe fresh. So I'm here to talk about my favorite trends for spring.

Gemstones

I have loved gemstones ever since my friend had her 8th birthday party at a place where you could pan for them. They just come in so many colors and there are so many to pick from that you can never go wrong with a gemstone ring. Right now for me the amethyst and quartz gemstones are so spring because amethyst is purple which reminds of flowers and it adds color to your outfit, and quartz because it's clear and it can be that accent for any other color you wear. It's enough of a statement to add interest but not overwhelm your outfit.

source

Fringe

Fringe is also a great trend for spring. It's light, fresh and fun. It helps add a bit of whimsy to your outfit. You can incorporate fringe with shoes, bags but my favorite are fringe necklaces. It's something that adds color to your face because it hangs on your neck.

source

Tribal

For me tribal is the most accessible trend. It can give you that boho look easily and its everywhere this season. All you have to do is grab some wooden bangles, or even a necklace with tribe like pattern and your set.

source

Thanks for letting me show you some of my favorite trends for spring and thanks to Amanda who gave this this opportunity for guest blog for her.

You can find Jes' blog right here! She did a bracelet DIY recently that is definitely worth checking out. Thanks so much Jes for sharing some of your favorite current jewelry trends.

Things You May or May Not Care to Know About Me:

2012-05-16T18:52:00.002-06:00

-I had a very unhealthy obsession with Wizard of Oz as a child which has now grown into a much healthier yet still just as heartfelt affection.

-My little brother striking everyone out at his game last Saturday. I think watching him play baseball might be one of my new favorite things.

-I am quite certain I could happily live off Asian food for the rest of my life.

-I didn't get nearly enough snuggle time with this furry one while visiting my hometown last weekend. If I could put him in a Baby Bjorn and carry him around I probably would but he is entirely too large. And 95% fluff.

-I am making some pretty major (like really big deal) decisions about the retail store these next couple months and it's all so exciting.

-I am a firm believer that even the grayest of days can be greatly improved with the addition of cute shoes.

P.S. THANK YOU to all of you who contributed guest posts for this week! I'll keep rolling them out for a few more days. I can't tell you what a tremendous help it has been as I get back into the swing of things and take care of some stuff before summer hits and my free time hits the fan. : ) I hope you have all loved what you've seen so far!

P.P.S. Click here to check out my new weekly column on Pistol Daisie!

Guest Recipe: Sweet Apple Fritters from Lizzy

2012-05-16T09:54:00.001-06:00

Hello, pretty Apple Blue readers. My name is Lizzy from Lizzy Pancakes and I'm here to share a ridiculously delicious recipe with you. Sound good? Of course it does. Ask Amanda, I am big fan of sweets, and these are no exception. They are warm and gooey and perfect with a cup of coffee. They are also very quick and easy to make. What could be better?

Nothing, that's what. Let's get to this recipe.

1 1/4 cup flour

1/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 milk

1 egg

1 tablespoon butter, melted

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cup chopped apple (I used gala)

1 cup powered sugar

3 tablespoons milk or half and half

oil for frying

In a medium bowl, mix flour sugar baking powder, cinnamon, and salt; set aside. In a small bowl, stir together milk, egg, vanilla, and butter until egg is mixed well. Pour into dry ingredients and stir until all ingredients are mixed well; fold in the diced apple.

Heat oil around 365 degrees (oil should come about an inch and a half up the pot) and drop in oil with a small cookie scooper being careful not to over crowd. Fry until golden brown. It takes about 35 seconds on each side on this size, but don't under cook them. You may be tempted to pull them out early, but in order to cook all the way through you'll have to be patient!

In a small bowl, mix together powdered sugar and milk until smooth and creamy; set aside. Remove the fritters from the hot oil and lay on a sheet pan lined with paper towels. When slightly cooled, dip in the glaze and place on a wire rack over a sheet pan to let the excess drip off. Eat warm, before anyone else can get their grubby little hands on them.

Thanks Amanda, for having me on your little bloggy corner of the internet. Happy frying!

Do those look delicious or what? Lizzy is always coming up with the most mouth watering, unique recipes... it makes me wish I had more time to get in the kitchen!

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Guest DIY: Patchwork Elastic Bookmark by Stephanie

2012-05-14T09:00:00.000-06:00

This patchwork elastic bookmark is a great project for beginner sewers because it is meant to look messy. So there is no pressure for perfect stitches! It's a great way to learn your machine, to try out different stitches, and to just practice. Plus, its just a great bookmark... clearly marks your page, doesn't fall out, and can help hold your page down. Creative and functional... love it!

Supplies needed:

felt

fabric scraps

elastic

needle and thread or sewing machine

buttons (optional)

1. Cut two circles out of felt. I always like to encourage people to cut their own, even if its not perfect, or you can trace a glass to make a pattern. The circle I made is roughly 3" across.

2. Cut a piece of fabric to match the felt and then it sew it to one of the pieces of felt, sewing all around the edges.

3. Now cut 6 triangles from different colored fabric scraps, arrange them on the circle, trimming them until you are happy with their size. It's okay to let the fabric hang off the edge.

4. Sew all the triangles down stitching around all the edges. Then you can flip it over and cut off all excess fabric following the felt as a pattern.

5. Next, cut a circle to sew onto the middle. Instead of sewing all around the edges, this time I started at on the "end" of the circle, sewing forward then shifting the fabric slightly and sewing reverse at a slightly different angle until I had sewn a big zig zag across the whole circle. Then I did the same thing in the opposite direction.

6. Decide how you want to arrange the buttons and then sew them down.

7. Grab a piece of elastic about 10" long (I actually used an elastic headband). Sandwich one end of the elastic, about 1/3", between the plain piece of felt and the decorated piece. Then begin sewing around the whole outside edge. When you get about halfway around sandwich the other end of the elastic between the two pieces. Be sure to keep the rest of the elastic out of the way so you don't accidently stitch it to the backside of the bookmark.

Now you are ready to make all your book club friends jealous!

How cute and simple is this project? I love it! Thank you so much Stephanie... I really appreciate you sharing such a great project here on Apple Blue! Make sure to check out Stephanies Bio and links below.

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Vintage Industrial Decor.

2012-05-10T09:00:00.000-06:00

I think I have finally figured out my personal style and I have been daydreaming a lot lately about interior design. Here are some of the things that took my breath away.

These gorgeous shell chairs on Etsy.

Love this wire bin.

This vintage biology chart is so beautiful and amazing.

I neeeeeeeeeeeeeed.

I will never get tired of vintage globes. It must be the adventurer in me.

I'm sorry, I just can't even process something this cool.

What do you guys think of this style? I am totally obsessed and really proud of my growing vintage industrial collection. I'm always on the hunt for new things at a reasonable price and love to daydream about living in a huge loft surrounded by things just like these.

Seeking Bloggers.

2012-05-08T18:37:00.000-06:00

Ducking into the blog really quick to ask for some help! I'm traveling back home this Friday and I would so love to take a true break from all things online and just focus on being with my family, friends and most of all my little brother! In order to do this I need some guest posts! I would love to line up 3-4 posts and would be happy to trade posts as long as you're willing to wait until later this month. : ) If you're willing to help and want to share something on this blog send me an email and let's talk details. I would love to have all posts by this Friday at 6pm mountain time so I can get them scheduled before my flight and leave my laptop at home.

All I ask is for content that would appeal to the Apple Blue audience and relatively good, clear photos (if you want to include photos.) Each guest post will include a small 2-3 sentence Bio at the end with a link to your blog or website.

Thanks so much, friends! Can't wait to hear from you!

Paint Can Vase D.I.Y.

2012-05-08T09:00:00.000-06:00

You can certainly use an old paint can if you have one, or you can go to your local Ace Hardware and pick one up for $2-6 depending on the size. I had no idea you could buy extra paint cans and I left the store with several for storage and this project that instantly popped into my head. You'll also need some jute twine in whatever size you want. If i could do it over again, I would choose a thicker twine. I originally planned to wrap the entire can in the twine but I wanted to preserve the look of it and accent it with a chevron twine stripe.

I also grabbed some fabric to add to the mix, but I decided to add it to my quilting pile instead.

I started at the back seam of the can and used hot glue to adhere the twine in a zig zag pattern working my way around and around until I got too impatient to keep going.

This project was super easy and cost me about $6 in all. You could make this project for your own home, as a gift or as an alternative to the boring, generic glass vase they'll offer you while buying flowers for Mothers Day.

On borrowed internet.

2012-05-03T15:07:00.000-06:00

Oh dear me friends, things are crazy over here and I'm trying to catch my breath when I can! My internet is a big piece of poop right now so I'm ~~stealing~~ borrowing someone else's internet connection right now. I had a completely different post scheduled for today but then I saw this and was inspired to join in. I'm already pretty open on this blog, but there are definitely things I don't share that I could and maybe should. (Deep breaths.) So here it is.

1. Every day is different but most days are still a struggle with my anxiety, panic and agoraphobia. I've learned to hide it pretty well but on the inside I'm in a tailspin. I'm feeling more resentful than ever about having to take medicine and so fed up with trying to find the winning combo that will give me my life back. I've been remembering the days when I could just leave my house without assessing where I'm going, how busy it might be and if I should bring my medicine with me (which I pretty much always do.) And it pisses me off that I'm even in this situation. I wish I could snap my fingers and be different.

2. I want so desperately to lose weight (because I really need to) but I don't know how it would feel to be any other size. The unknown is scary. And sometimes it feels easier to just stay the way I am. P.S. For me, losing weight isn't about a number, but just being healthier.

3. I'm increasingly anxious about the future and it's making me loco. I'm feeling like God might be sending me elsewhere in the next year or so but there are SO many unknowns.

4. I have no friends here in Denver!! And it's really starting to get to me. All of the people I have connected with are outside of Denver and they're moving away anyways, so I'm feeling lonely. How in the world do you make friends when you're a busy 31 year old with two jobs? I mean seriously.

Kyla, who I adore, wrote a post recently on Making Peace With the In-Between and that's exactly where I feel like I am right now. I am "in between" so many things and it's really a struggle. It's nothing that will take me to the ground because I have survived much worse... but that doesn't mean it is easy either. I love this quote from her post.

"Waiting is a land of tumbleweeds and stark beauty, and it takes effort to appreciate it and be comfortable there."

This is what I need to do... learn to appreciate this "in between" and trust that many good things are to come.

Man down.

2012-05-02T09:59:00.000-06:00

No Internet for me today. The Comcast trucks are circling like vultures so apparently its not just me. By the way, blogging from my iPhone right now is creeping me out. If you're waiting for an email from me, hoping for a life changing blog post (note sarcasm) or just wondering where the heck I am...now you know. I feel kind of icky without Internet or TV but as long as this doesn't interrupt my Thursday night lineup I'll survive. Thank goodness for my hefty DVR library and the beauty of 3G. : ) Be back soon!

One Girl+One Dream: Quirky Storefronts

2012-05-01T19:32:00.000-06:00

Is it weird that I feel like I'll just "know" when I see my storefront just like people say you just "know" when you meet someone you're supposed to spend the rest of your life with? Because I do. My instincts have always been very strong is guiding me and I totally trust that they will guide me to that perfect location. Because location seems to be the big decision right now. What city? What area? What street? So many unknowns as I just wait for my instincts to guide me. Here are some beautiful storefronts that I sure wouldn't mind calling my own. (P.S. I can already tell you with total certainty that creating window displays is going to be my favorite thing.)

Way bigger than I would need but the colors and signage are all kinds of awesome.

Love the green... and I'd love it even more if I could live upstairs.

This yellow is so fun.

The large paned windows are killing me.

Loving the greenery out front and the cute Open sign.

Want. This is so cool and unique.

When it comes right down to it, I just want a small, bright space with tons of character, bright paint (although not too obnoxious) and hopefully some living accommodations attached. Is that a tall order? I don't think so. But I guess we shall see!

My Inside Out Closet.

2012-04-30T15:26:00.002-06:00

I love, love, love my apartment. But the one thing it lacked that I so desperately needed was a storage closet. I didn't come to the realization that I didn't have one until after I had moved in and figured I would just have to squeeze everything into my walk-in bedroom closet. But then Christmas happened and craft fair season and things started to accumulate. Before I knew it, that walk-in closet began to squeeze out my already small wardrobe and my claustrophobia made picking out an outfit a rather hurried process. A few adjustments later and I decided to create an external wardrobe area. I knew it had to be pretty though and so began the process of making it happen. I couldn't be happier with the result.

Here is a breakdown of what goes where and how I keep it all in order. This kind of thing may not be for everyone but I love it. And now I can keep the door to that closet closed off. The main garment rack in the middle is from Ikea and the shelves on either side are from an artisan in Greeley, CO who creates furniture from old barn wood and then paints it in the prettiest colors you ever did see.

A small collection of vintage goodies and a musical NYC snow globe.

Dresses of all colors and patterns.

And special mention should go to this beautiful vintage hamper I got at a garage sale for a buck. I mod-podged a vintage flashcard on it and I think it's pretty darn cute.

All in all, my closet in unconventional but I think I managed to pull it off. I've been smiling every time I walk by my room and it makes getting dressed in the morning so much easier and fun.

Sunday.

2012-04-29T19:16:00.000-06:00

Hi friends!

I don't even know where the weekend went. I got in some great family time, enough work time to feel like I accomplished something and even some time to enjoy the beautiful weather. In two weeks I'll be back in St. Louis for a quick trip and I can not wait. Tomorrow is Monday which is actually one of my favorite parts of the week because the boys I nanny for have extra long days at school. That means lots of productivity on my end. I'm gearing up for summer and trying to do everything I can to keep this momentum going. Did you catch yesterdays free printable cards? And the fun print I shared the week before?

Also, if you haven't heard or maybe you forgot, you can click on over to Maiedae right here and enter for a chance to win a free blog header and navigation bar designed by me! I have a feeling she is going to draw a winner reallllly soon so hurry on over. I hope you all have a great start to your week and I'll be back with a post in the morning.

This week on Apple Blue: My Inside Out closet makeover, quilt progress, a fun and inexpensive DIY project, a sneak peek at a limited edition product I'm going to be selling in the coming weeks and a Mothers Day card freebie!

Free Printable:

2012-04-29T16:46:00.000-06:00

Today's free printable is particularly cute, at least in my humble opinion. I want to start sending little notes to friends and family more often so I thought that this week I'd design an all-occasion card with a fill in the blank space so you can customize it however you like!

Click below to download the PDF file, click to print and cut the sheet in half folding each card in half and fill the inside with inside jokes and mushy gushy sentiments. Let's all take more time each week to let people know we love them. I would send a card to every single one of you if I could. Seriously. I hope you like this weeks printable. Feel free to throw out any suggestions for what kind of printable you would like to see in the future. (Mother's Day cards are coming next Friday so save your $5.)

CLICK RIGHT HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE PDF!

Hangin' On.

2012-04-27T12:25:00.000-06:00

This week has been crazy. The good kind of crazy but also the crazy that leaves you exhausted and frazzled and in a daydreamy haze just thinking about an afternoon with nothing to do. I spent the first half of today in a mad dash to get my bedroom cleaned up for a routine maintenance visit which ended up being unnecessary because they were in and out in less than a minute. Awesome. But at least it's clean! And now it's time for lunch before I head back to my "day job" for some laundry and errands. Tonight right after work I'm driving to Fort Collins to spend time with family and help with a garage sale tomorrow. Let's all say a collective prayer that I don't come home with more stuff than I need. It's going to be a great weekend but I wasn't able to pull together a free printable for today... so we'll call it a Sunday surprise instead. : ) Deal? K thanks.

When I found this clever storage box via The Dainty Squid I had one of those head smack, "Why didn't I think of that?!" moments. Such an easy thing to DIY. Do you love it or do you love it?

P.S. All the details and such for my Apple Blue Creative services will be up on the blog by Sunday, too! So if you've contacted me or left a comment about working with me in some capacity definitely keep an eye out for that. My prices are as competitive as it gets and clients are booking up fast for the summer. Did I mention I work for some pretty amazing, hilarious, interesting, talented people ever?

Maiedae Feature!

2012-04-26T20:00:00.000-06:00

You should probably go check out my feature and interview on the Maiedae blog. You could win a free custom blog header and navigation bar to help spruce up your blog for Spring. Huge thanks to Savannah for the fun interview!

New Artist Loves: Fifi Lapin

2012-04-26T13:04:00.000-06:00

There are too many great artists and not enough money to own one of their pieces. Nevertheless, this artist is amazing. And world famous. And she is a great example of someone who found a niche and ran with it. Fifi Lapin is a delightful character and the subject of all of this charming artwork. Here is an introduction to Fifi as quoted from her website.

"Hi, I'm Fifi Lapin... I was born one of 257 brothers and sisters but sadly there was an outbreak of myxomatosis when I was just one year old. I was the only one that survived. My parents are therefore incredibly protective of me and spoil me rotten. I'm a hare-ss to my fathers fortune which he made playing fast and loose with carrot and lettuce shares on the international stock market. There are a lot of rabbits out there eating carrots and lettuce I guess...Some people think I'm just a socialite but I think there's more to me than just an extremely stylish clotheshorse."

Here is Fifi wearing a beautiful red gown from this seasons Valentino.

And here is Fifi modeling a stunning blue Jean Paul Gaultier piece.

You can even buy this wonderfully inspiring book celebrating one of the world most fabulous, furry, fashion icons right here on Amazon. Follow Fifi's blog for fashion inspiration and beautiful illustrations. I am most definitely a huge fan.

Diaries of a Frugal Fashionista:

2012-04-25T09:00:00.000-06:00

So I am by no means a fashionista, so let's go ahead and remove any such illusions right now. But I do love cute clothes and am really excited for skirts, dresses, flip flops and new sunnies. Here is a small collection of my own personal essentials for a fun, colorful, cool summer. (Click the link below the set for full details on where you can purchase everything seen here.)

My Summer Essentials by apple blue

Here are my selections:

1. I love a statement maxi dress for summer like this cute pink striped tank one.
2. I've developed a deep appreciation for the button-down (especially this budget friendly chambray one from Old Navy) because here in Colorado out summer mornings are cold and the afternoons are hot, so a rolled up sleeve is a great thing.
3. I'm a sucker for stripes and this cute cotton dress is the perfect thing for some weekend thrifting.
4. Colorful accessories are so great! I'm going to do a super easy knock-off DIY of these high priced ones above.
5. Tumbleweeds sunnies! I have wanted a pair for-ev-er and I think this is the summer I will bit that bullet and get a pair. Do you have some? Are you in love?
6. This year I'm a huge fan of cute and functional sandals that go with just about everything. I'm a big time flip flop girl but these Steve Maddens will take you day into night.
7. Bright floral dresses are the name of my game. I love the tie waist and the flowy material is guaranteed to keep you cool. (Frozen lemonade helps too.)
8. I love solid colored dresses like this navy blue beauty because they're so versatile. In this case the accessories make the look... and the look can take you anywhere you want to go.

Almost everything seen here is from Old Navy (and recently found its way into my cart). They have some cute things this season at great prices which, to me, completely justifies a Tumbleweed splurge, right? This is the part where you agree with me. : ) What do you guys think of my picks? I'm all about the color this season!

Update: In a sleep deprived stupor, I caved and bought the Tumbleweeds. I didn't know a person could be so excited and deeply remorseful at the same time.