Other Stuff * Vermont & Photography

{image by me}

I have one more photography session available for those of you who live in Vermont or who will be in Vermont over the next couple of weeks. You can email me at sweetlifeimailto:sweetlifeinthevalley@gmail.com or aprilatwater@gmail.com See you there.

Sweet House Keeping * Antique ~ Vintage Wire Potato Basket

{image via Ruby Lane}

I need one of these Vintage Wire Potato Baskets. I saw one a few years ago at an antique store but didn't buy it. Now I wish I did. My potatoes end up staying the plastic bags they come in. This potato basket would look oh so much better and keep them fresher longer as well. The one pictured is pending sale at Ruby Lane. I need to head over to Cat's Cradle in Provo and see if they happen to have one. If anyone has seen one please let me know.

Other Stuff * A Little Lime Ricki Gift for You

Many many of you said that you want to buy a Lime Ricki swim suit if you don't win one. Well here is a little gift to you get 10% off your order when they use the code SWEETLIFE

Happy Summer!

Book Club & Other Stuff * Twenty Wishes

I never had a chance to tell everyone about our Book Club read for the month of June. Twenty Wishes is fun book about a group of windowed women of all ages. Out of a get together the concept of writing down Twenty Wishes becomes the theme of their lives. I have written down a few wishes of my own but I am not yet to twenty. One of my wishes is to lay on my back on the cobble stone streets in Boston and look up at the city and take in the history that happened there as I think about what had happened right in that spot and who could have walked right were I am laying.

I would love to hear some of your wishes and it would be great if you all started a Twenty Wishes list of your own. Feel free to share I would love to hear some of your wishes. Dream big and have fun! Read the book you will like it. You can post your wish on the comments or email them to me at sweetlifeinthevalley@gmail.com

Click here to see Debbie Macomber's website. Debbie is also doing a readers contest click here to see the prize and how to enter.

Other Stuff * Twitter

If you haven't noticed I added a twitter feed in the right hand column. I will post on it randomly throughout the day about little things like this lovey bit that happened on Saturday:

"we just had a snake in our kitchen!!!!!! I HATE snakes!"

It is for fun and you can follow people's twittering on your cellphone as well as post a twitter post from it. There is a place on right that you can click if you want to follow me on twitter.

Other Stuff * Armelle Jewelry & Restoration Hardware's Child & Baby

In the mail today a couple of fun things arrived. I received my pretty sparrow necklace from Caroline at Armelle Jewelry.I am going to wear it today. She has the most beautiful things! See her blog here and her Jewelry here & here.

My Premiere Edition of the Baby & Child catalogue came. It has so many lovely thing for baby& child. The colors are soft and calming perfect for your little one. Here is a sampling.

Cashmere Bee Sweater

Girls Marlowe collection in Pink White & Espresso

Asher Collection in Antique White, Cloud and Espresso

They even have Eco-friendly, no-VOC paint

Sweet Music * Madeleine Peyroux

I found Madeleine Peyroux a few years ago and I have been in love ever since. She makes me want to brush up on my French that I learned in high school. Jazz is one of my favorite styles of music and I love her Jazz. Her songs range from the take a walk in the park Jazz to fun French pieces. Madeleine if you were to come to Utah I will be first in line for tickets and will tell everyone one about your concert. You can read more about Madeleine Peyroux on her website click here. Enjoy these songs from me to you.

My Favorite Finds * Vintage Pick-up Trucks 1950's & '60's

{ Heather Bailey in Home Companion Magazine}

Over the holiday weekend while at my Grandma's house I had a chance to catch up on my magazine reading. Both the April-May issue of Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion and the June issue of Country Living have photos of old pick-up trucks. It has been a long time thought in the back of my mind that I would like an old pick-up to haul around things-like the lawn chairs I bought today and had to rig-up in the trunk of the Toyota corolla with some kite string & prayers- and to use as a back drop for photos much like they did in these two magazines. I love the designs from the 1950's & '60's. These articles put that thought closer to the front of my mind and how much more affordable these lovely designed trucks seem to me now. I found a few for sale online. Only drawback would be gas mileage.

{ 1953 Chevrolet 3100 Pickup- I love this deep red color the shiny chrome & the white oak rails on this one }

{ 1966 red ford f-100 - don't you just love the steering wheels on old trucks!}

{ white 1965 Chevrolet C10 }

Fun Free Fridays * Don't Forget

If you have blogged, posted on Myspace, Facebook or some other place on the web about the Fun Free Fridays Giveaway Don't Forget to send me a link so you get an extra entry. I noticed a few of you blogged about the giveaway but forgot to let me know.

Other Stuff * Facebook

Sweet Life in the Valley now on Facebook. Click below to be added as a friend. I am still new to Facebook so look forward to this new way of keeping in contact with me.

Other Stuff * Photography

Here is a little peek at what I have been doing this weekend. See more of my work here.

Fun Free Fridays * On Monday this Week

I will be off the computer until Monday so we will have to postpone our wonderful Fun Free Fridays Giveaway until then. Go see some Tulips at the Thanksgiving Point Tulip Festival, make some Blonde Brownies , share some with a well deserved friend or neighbor & have a great weekend everyone!

Other Stuff * Pull Down Maps

{ Images via Three Potato Four}

I love maps. I have loved them since I can remember. I got an A++ in geography in high school because of my love of maps and places. When my boys were very little I bought them a map of the pony express trail at a little book store in West Yellowstone for their room. I decided I needed at least one pull down map when I saw the one in the kitchen in Sleepless in Seattle. When I was at the book store this week -my third place- I decided to take a look at O Home Magazine, not one I usually look at but I am glad I did. They did a feature on pull down maps and using them as a window shade. Don't you think that is a great idea. Put your little ones to bed looking at a map. They will surely do well on their Geography tests at school plus most of them have nice blues and green and other great colors. I think I would prefer a vintage one like the ones pictured above. You can get them at Three Potato Four. You can also find a pretty good selection on EBay. I need to be on the look out for a US & World set.

Other Stuff * Think Pink !

A Sweet Life in the Valley reader & blogger Pink Peony had this on her blog today. I loved it so much I wanted to share it with you all too. New York Mag had an article about people who wear one color & if I were described as a one color girl it would be pink. I can hardly think of a day that I don't wear pink. I love colors all colors but pink is one of my very favorite with butter cream yellow in second.

Other Stuff * Design Calulators

-images via Dominomag.com-

If you happen to be painting or wallpapering your home this spring Domino Magazine has these great Wallpaper & Paint Calculators. You just put in the measurements of your room and it tells you how much you will need.

Other Stuff * Steve Martin & Tony Trischka

I love Steve Martin & I love blue grassy folky type music. Steve Martin is a great actor and comedian but he is also a great banjo player. This is his new song "The Crow" that he plays with well known banjo player Tony Trischka it is on the new Double Banjo Album. Below is a clip from the David Letterman Show.

P.S. I failed to mention that is Bela Fleck playing with them. He is great. I was able to see him live a few years back at a free concert in the park downtown SLC.

Other Stuff * Spring Time Photo Special

I am having a Spring Time Mommy & Baby Special!

For $125 get a hour to an hour and a half sitting one 8X10 and one 5x7 20-25 images in both color and black & white. For only $25 more get all your images in high resolution both color and black & white on Cd with a personal copyright release so you can print them or put them on your blog. Low resolution images that are internet ready only $25 more. Go to my site for contact details to schedule your session April Atwater Photography

Other Stuff * Easter Dresses

{Easter Dresses}

I am on the hunt for a pretty Easter dress for my daughter ‘cause every girl needs a new Easter dress. I found these beautiful dresses by Little Girl Pearl on Etsy. They are too small for Sha' but I wanted to share them with you because they are too good not to pass along to someone with a little girl. If anyone happens to come across something wonderful in a girl’s size 16 or women’s size 1/xs let me know.

Other Stuff * Sweet Sales

{Sweet Sales}

Annual Winter Sale William-Sonoma

75% off all Sale Items!!!

Kaleidoscope Boutique

The Shops at Riverwoods

4801 N. University Avenue 350 Provo

801.225.1352

Soel

The Shops at Riverwoods

Provo, Utah

801.426.9644

Other Stuff * Birthday Party Ideas * Pre-teen

{Pre-Teen Birthday Parties}

Pre-Teen birthday parties can be a challenge. You want to plan something that is cool and certainly not lame like a ladybug or Spiderman theme party. Here are some ideas.

All three of my children have birthdays in the same week-this week- so we have one big birthday party every year. This year we are renting the roof top ice skating rink at My Noah's. We are also renting a billiards room to have the cake and ice cream and a place to warm up after skating. For party favors each pre-teen gets a beanie & gloves.

Another fun idea is a Disco Dance Dance Revolution party. Rent a disco ball and dance the night away! My Noah's also has a room with a big screen TV that you can rent.

Play some Grateful Dead and have a Groovy Tie Dye Party. Tie dye a shirt, socks, pillowcases and more, anything cotton will work.