Take Flight Giveaway from Sea+Sparrow

My sweet friend Holly Everett is talented in so many ways! She is a new momma, photographer, doula and calligrapher! She's hosting a giveaway on her blog from Sea + Sparrow who makes yummy smelling vegan cold pressed soaps! Here are a couple of lovely images that will make anybody want to win these!

If you were a kitty cat....

Isla is almost 2 and we're throwing a kitty cat party this weekend. I created this for everyone to find out what their cat name would be :) It will be accompanied by sticky name tags and sharpies :) 

Party pics coming soon. Meow.

Stuffed Acorn Squash

You know those recipes you have only printed out and they have stains all over them with crusty stuff from years of cooking with it? Well, this recipe is that. I found it from an email printed in 2006 from my dear friend Joy. It's an oldie but a goodie and who doesn't love stuffed squash?!

Ingredients: 
2 green acorn squash
butter
1 lbs ground turkey
1/2 cup onion diced
1/3 cup celery diced
dried sweet basil
dried thyme 
1 can cream of mushroom
beef bouillon granules or beef broth
1 garlic clove minced
salt and pepper
2 tbsp light brown sugar 
seasoned croutons

*note: I am normally SUPER against cream of anything, but for this recipe I make an exception! 

Cut squash in half lengthwise and baste with melted butter, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake cut side down at 400º for 35 min. Meanwhile, saute onions and celery with a little olive oil or butter until softened. Add garlic and turkey and saute until browned. Dissolve 1 teaspoon of bouillon granules to 8 ounces of hot water. Slowly add 2-4 ounces of the broth to the meat mixture until absorbed. If you have beef broth around, then just use a dash of that! Add cream of mushroom and brown sugar and cook until mixed throughout and thickened. Season with a dash of thyme and a generous amount of sweet basil, salt and pepper.

When squash is done in the oven, turn them over on your cookie sheet and fill with meat mixture. Crush croutons until they have a bread crumb or slightly larger size and mix with a couple of  tbsp of melted butter. Top squash and meat mixture with your breadcrumbs and bake for 20 minutes at 375º. Enjoy! 

I Heart Letterpress

I learned how to make something look letterpress today! Check it out! I made that. Thanks Pugly Pixel for the great tutorial.

Lemon Cream Fusilli Pasta

Denver

Our little family of three just returned from Denver to visit Jeremy's family. While there, I saw many beautiful things, but also encountered the tragedy of the Aurora shootings. Thankfully, even though we were in CO, the Lord didn't have us in that theater that night. I ache for the families that are affected by this awful act and pray for justice. 

All the while we were on our journey, I was peering through my iPhone camera trying to capture sweet moments to remember this time. At 14 months old, Isla is the main event when we visit Denver, given nothing but the undivided attention of her seven boy cousins, aunts, uncles and of course her Nonni and Papa. I put together a little home movie of all the video captured through my 8mm app on my iPhone. The smile these moments bring to my face when I watch it helps me to remember that in times of tragedy...

may love always win. 

If money grew on trees....

 I would purchase each one of these lovely items. But for now, I'll just continue to drool. 

no. 1/ no. 2/ no. 3/ no. 4/ no. 5/ no. 6

Cedar Plank Salmon

Favorite Things

Julie Andrews can move over, because these are a few of my favorite things. Big surprise mine are pj's, a blanket and a book. As for my little one, those really are her favorite things....especially her Blabla dolls! They go everywhere with her!

Twelve at the Table

I had the honor of being served not only by my amazing community group last week, but also and quite literally by the incredible Evie Coates. She is an extraordinary woman of many talents of which include many forms of art and design, creating beautiful table scapes, cooking and setting the perfect atmosphere to foster beauty, conversation, creativity and above all community. She has created a very unique concept along with her family called Twelve at the Table. I encourage everyone to check out what they do. It was truly a beautiful evening.

Here are some photos from the surreal evening we spent celebrating our lovely friend Tiffany Garrett who just finished nursing school. Tiffany, we are so incredibly proud of the woman, wife and mother you are and now... NURSE! You will bless so many with your servant heart and patience as a caregiver.

Isla in ONEderland

We have had one incredible year with Isla in our lives. It was so much fun to celebrate her with all of our best friends that have journeyed with us, loved her, shared the joy and the hard times and everything in between. Here are a few photos from the 'Isla in ONEderland' party we had in our backyard. Gotta love some pinterest to find all these fun ideas. It was really fun to put together and a nice creative outlet for me!

1 Year of Isla Harper

I'm a little late on this post, but we just celebrated 1 year with our sweet Isla Harper on April 27th. I could pinch myself everyday that I get to be her momma. Here is a little video I put together of some sweet moments we've shared with her. We love you Isla!

Just Dandy

Isla's sweet nanny Jill is not only a baby whisperer, but also a sewing genius and my crafting sensei. She had Isla model some of her cute new things going into her Etsy shop. How cute is that romper??! If you have a baby or need a baby gift for someone else you MUST check her shop out. Its incredible!

8 months of Isla Harper

I can't believe it, but my baby girl is 8 months old. This post is for me mainly to remember exactly how I'm feeling right now, what she's doing, and how amazing this moment is! It's hard for me to believe that just last year I didn't even know this little person and now I can't picture my life without her. Here are a few fun facts and photos of our sweet girl.

Isla's Favorite Things:

her sheep (see bathtime pic)

butternut squash

her new play kitchen

bathtime!

petting her puppy dog and keycat (kitty cat)

What She's Up To:

cutting her 1st tooth

army crawling

standing while holding onto the table :)

pretty much lookin' cute all the time

Happy Halloween...hoot hoot!

I haven't posted in a LONG time. I guess that's what life is like being a full time working momma with a husband on the road. But, I just had to document miss Isla's first Halloween! I made her an owl costume and simply wanted to eat her up. I was the tree for her owl.

Happy Halloween...
Hoot hoot!

Isla's Video

Here is a video I put together of the stormy day Isla Harper came to meet us.

Isla's Vintage Inspired, Handmade Nursery

I had so much fun putting together a nursery for our daughter Isla. I wanted it to be a room I loved, because I spend most of my time in there now! I didn't have a huge budget to work with, so I was able to find things that were meaningful and sweet on the cheap! I wanted a lovely, vintage inspired room that had pieces of my childhood as well as sweet handmades from some of the people that have surrounded us with love on this journey. Thank you Katherine Holly Photography for the great photos!

Crib: Jenny Lind: Craigslist
Custom bedding: Etsy- Tiptoe Studio
Glider: borrowed from a friend
Rug: Overstock.com
Vintage wardrobe: already had and re-purposed for nursery
Vintage dresser/changing table: given by a friend, new ceramic knobs from Anthropologie
Wire Shelf: Anthropologie
Chandelier: given by a friend, originally purchased at Habitat for Humanity Home
Side table: Nadeau Furniture
Bench: Nadeau Furniture
Owl lamp: Target
Pair of gold frames: flea market
Where the Sidewalk Ends prints: from my childhood book
Mother Goose nursery rhyme prints: from my childhood book
Handmade book mobile: used as decor for baby shower, handmade by hosts (see DIY blog at Oh My Deer Handmades)
Name bunting: handmade by Oh My Deer Handmades
Terrarium: made by my sister Desiree of Ophelia Terrariums
Book page wreath: see my DIY how to blog
Vintage toy piano: antique shop
Paint color: Heavy Goose by Martha Stewart

Isla Harper Lutito has arrived

On April 27th at 2pm, my life changed forever when our sweet Isla came into our lives. Words can't describe what happened to my heart at that moment, but suffice it to say there is nothing sweeter. I feel so blessed to have had a wonderful pregnancy and birth story, which was seasoned with the incredible support of loving friends and my amazing husband. Isla was 7 lbs 10 oz and 19.5'' long at birth. When she was being weighed and measured, she lifted her head up from the nurse, looked around the room and cracked a little smile. This was so telling of the little girl she is and the woman we pray she will grow up to be: strong, curious and joyful. Her timely arrival, just one day after her due date, made for a wonderful first Mother's Day for me that I will never forget. Here's to much joy to come, laughter, crying (her and I both), sleepless nights, sweet baby breath, unconditional love, utter confusion and pure bliss. We love you sweet Isla!

My Dreamy Handmade Baby Shower

I have the most incredible, loving and creative friends in the world! Here are some of the photos my friend Missy Wood took of the lovely shower my girls threw for miss Isla. Crafting for the shower was headed up by the lovely and talented Chelsea Petaja of Oh My Deer Handmades. The beautiful terrariums were made by my wonderful sister Desiree Pillsbury! Gorgeous job ladies!