merry christmas

i have been taking a much needed vacation from all things lately!

but i wanted to wish you and yours a happy, wonderful christmas!

hope you are spending the day with your family and enjoying the fruits of all your labor.

merry christmas and happy new year!

southernheidibelle

Graphics Fairy

i don't usually recommend websites.

but this one is super cute and super useful!

its actually another blog on blogspot.

here is the link:  http://www.graphicsfairy.blogspot.com/

here is why it is cute:

1.  all images are vintage
2.  all images are timeless

and best:

3.  all images are free!!

here is one of my favorites:

a blank vintage wreath:
a precious silhouette:

now put them both together:


isn't that the cutest thing?

these images are perfect for christmas cards, scrapbooking, or anything!

go on this amazing blog and have some fun!

Columbia, South Carolina

WARNING:  THIS POSTING HAS CAPITAL LETTERS.......

I wrote this posting before my epiphany on the capital letter thing.  And quite frankly, I was just too lazy to change it.  Read on.........

Next stop on my postings of places we have lived:

Columbia, South Carolina

                             
                                

See it right there in the middle of the state? 

After living in Norman and finishing our undergraduate programs, graduate school beckoned us to South Carolina.

Columbia, to be exact.

The state capitol.

Enough said.

Columbia was a fun place to live.  We lived downtown to be closer to the University of South Carolina.

In a high rise.

                                 

We lived on the same floor as some of the other Brazilian grad students, with Big A.  Who at the time, was Small A, at the ripe old age of 2.

Our favorite memory in Columbia, South Carolina, was the birth of our second son, the Bull.  At this hospital:

                                

This hospital was downtown, close to the University and close to our apartment.  Which definitely made doctors visits easy!

But a big ole pregnant gal needs some entertainment help with an active 2 year old. 

Introducing the Riverbanks Zoo.  Right in Columbia, it was deliciously easy to get to.  We bought a season pass.  It bought us about 9 months of daily fun.  Seriously.  If you live in a hot place, are pregnant and have a toddler, I can't emphasize the importance of a good zoo.

We loved the train the most.

                             

Big A and I went at least once a week, up until the week I delivered the Bull.  And we also took my parents and grandmother two days after his birth with the Bull in a front pack!

Another place we really enjoyed frequenting was the Columbiana Center, mainly because I worked there.                                   

                               

At the Disney Store.  I know, I know.  WHY???  Well, mainly because managers received what is known as a "silver pass"  which is another term for FREE Walt Disney World for my family.  Totally worth it.

But all the discounted passes to Disney World and the millions of stuffed animals couldn't take the place of the precious carousel in the center of the mall.

                              

It had every animal imaginable on it.  Pigs, horses, tigers, giraffes, even roosters.

                              

Everytime Big A came to the mall to have lunch or dinner with me on my break, we had to ride the carousel.

Speaking of Big A, he was the cutest Charlie Brown one Halloween, and even won a costume contest at the mall over hundreds of contestants.

He was the roundest-headed one year old we had ever seen, and with the yellow t shirt adorned with the infamous Charlie Brown zig zag, he couldn't have been more perfect.

South Carolina, as a state, has the heat and humidity drawback, but definitely makes up for it with its award winning barbeque.  Our favorite haunt was a little place called Maurice's.

                              

They have the most delicious mustard barbeque sauce I have ever tasted. 

                                     

Before living in South Carolina, I had never even heard of this kind of sauce.  They put it on everything:  pork, beef, chicken, even the fries.  It is unbelieveable!

South Carolina was also the first place we had these famous treats:

                                         

We had no idea what it meant when it said "HOT NOW".  We assumed coffee. 

We were so wrong........

                                         

And we had no idea that you were able to watch the entire process, from start to finish, including a free hot doughnut!  We were never the same again......

We also were made aware of Blue Laws for the first time.

If you are not familiar with Blue Laws, they are defined by Wikipedia as:

A blue law is a type of law, typically found in the United States and Canada, designed to enforce religious standards, particularly the observance of Sunday as a day of worship or rest, and a restriction on Sunday shopping. Most have been repealed, have been declared unconstitutional, or are simply unenforced, although prohibitions on the sale of alcoholic beverages, and occasionally almost all commerce, on Sundays are still enforced in many areas. Blue laws often prohibit an activity only during certain hours and there are usually exceptions to the prohibition of commerce, like grocery and drug stores. In some places blue laws may be enforced due to religious principles, but others are retained as a matter of tradition or out of convenience.

In other words, they are laws that kept me from shopping on one side of the WalMart on Sunday morning.

Seriously, thats how I looked at it. 

I was not allowed to buy diapers in the "non-essential" side of my WalMart Supercenter. 

And I had a two year old.   And I worked in retail with only Sunday off. 

I definitely became familiar with Saturday night shopping.  And I stocked up on my diapers!!

Realistically, living in South Carolina gave us the best thing ever, our second child.  And it gave us a job on the east coast, giving us great experiences up in New York and Connecticut. 

But that is all coming soon in my Connecticut post.

Keep reading...........

Profiles

iust a quick post to show the boys profiles.

i have loved silhouettes since i was a kid.  always got one at disneyland when i went to visit my cousins in california
so, I decided to make one of the boys.

getting the picture was the hardest part.

i tried to search through my recent pictures to see if i could just find one of each of them without having to solicit a posed shot.

i had none.  i mean, not one!

so, i took a picture from the same angle of each of my darling children.  i say the word darling because each of them made a selection of faces and poses.  just enough to make me scream and settle for their best shot!

this is what i came up with:

            tiny t                                              the bull                                   big a

and here are the silhouettes i made from these pictures:

        

i made them into a necklace that i wear all the time. 

everytime i look at these pendants, i can see my children's faces.  frozen in time.  i love them.

the pendants, i mean.

of course i love my children.  that's a given.

i love them so much, i am selling them on my etsy site.

the pendants, i mean.

not my children, silly.  they are definitely NOT for sale.

check them out:  http://www.southernheidibelle.blogspot.com/

i can make a silhouette of anything. 

seriously, anything.  well, just about anything.

your dog?  sure.

cat?  absolutely.

your house?  most likely.

i haven't done a house yet, but that's not to say i wouldn't try!

let me know what you think......

darling girl

i haven't posted a custom piece of jewelry in a while.

mainly because i have had so many orders that i just haven't had time!

that's a good thing!

this necklace i made for a mom who wanted her 11 year old daughter to know how special she was.

super cute mom.

and this girl is very special

she is only 11 and does so many wonderful things.

she likes to bake with her mom, so i included the muffin tin.
she also does  bike marathon every year to benefit the boys and girls club.  can you imagine?  an 11 year old riding a bike in a charity marathon.  super impressive.
she also does irish dancing.  you know the one.  where they wear the traditional regalia and move their feet as if independent of their bodies?  riverdance.  so difficult and so awe inspiring!

i also threw in this cute tiny rolling pin i found.  its actually a button!
her dog is very important to her, as are most animals to their owners.  his name is buster.  and i added this silver dog charm as well.

she loves all things irish, so i couldn't make this necklace without the irish flag.  and she is a big sister (little brother's picture to come).
did i mention she is only 11?

here she is in her dance dress.  the details are stupendous!
her inital in a scrabble letter.  my signature!
and there she is with her darling little brother.  they look like such good friends.  of course, i know pictures always capture your best side.......

she is a kentucky girl and she loves to paint.  so i found this teeny painters pallette and put it right beside one of her very own paintings, in a tiny charm form!

the artist's easel with the rudimentary drawings etched into it was a little childish, but you get the picture.  literally.
her name is so cute, i love to add a name charm to every piece.  and i found this other irish step dancing charm that looked like it was made out of wood.

another nod to the irish step dancing, which plays a big part in her life is place right beside a cool converse high top shoe.  she is a normal little girl, after all.
and last but not least, the daughter charm, representing who she is to her mother.

its very sweet.

i love this piece.  not because i made it.  but because a mother had to think of all the things her daughter means to her.  and at the same time, find all the things her daughter finds important. 

and trust me, those two things don't always equal!  i think this mom did a great job.  i am sure her daughter will save this forever.  like a mini scrapbook around her neck!

christmas countdown

have you checked your calendars lately? 

it is almost christmas!!

scroll down to the left side of my blog to see the exact amount of time you have to make everything merry and bright.

before you do that, though, please enjoy this vintage santa card. 

                                        

it can be made as a card, used as a gift tag, or simply printed off to put on the fridge.

i am going to print off a ton and put them on a wreath. 

when i finish, i will post pictures.

at the rate i am going with my christmas projects, it will probably be around valentines day...........

i am sure you can feel my pain!

CAPITAL LETTERS

i am boycotting capital letters.

seriously.

i have been wavering for the past year or so.  in fact, in alot of my emails to friends and family, i have already started.......

using regular casing when i type.

i like it.

alot.

it seems weird, but by boycotting capital letters, i save so much time!

i rarely have to click on the "shift" button anymore.  only for exclamation points, ampersands, asterisks, and parentheses. 

when i start my sentence, i no longer hit "shift"

when i type someone's name, the "shift" button never even enters my mind.

why am i explaining this to you?

mainly because i don't want you to be offended when i type your name in all small letters.

and because i like talking about things that no one talks about.

NO MORE CAPITAL LETTERS??

if you are with me, let me know.....

Pioneer Woman

Ran into Borders last night with Tiny T and sauntered over to my favorite haunt.

The crafting magazines.

And who should I see?

      

Yep, thats Ree Drummond, the Pioneer Woman.

Imagine me, just perusing my magazines, just killing time and seeing one of my sister's high school friends on the cover of a magazine.

I know, I know, she's famous!  I have her cookbook, read her blog daily, and even have a piece of jewelry featured on her blog.  But to me, she's still Ree!

Its just weird. 

Lovely, but weird.

I wonder if she is used to it by now?

Happy Thanksgiving!

Just wanted to wish you and all your families a wonderfully happy Thanksgiving!

We are having a great time in Branson, MO and I will post a ton of pictures when I get home!

I did want to share the cutest image for Thanksgiving with all y'all.......

I just love these vintage postcards.  And this one is perfect for Turkey Day.

Hope all you turkeys are having some great turkey!

HeidiBelle

Monopoly

Monopoly is a necessary evil of every person's childhood.

Everyone loves it.

Everyone hates it.

It is so much fun spending someone else's fake money.

The game lasts FOREVER!!!

I loved it as a child.  I didn't usually win, that honor was always bestowed upon my cousin Ralph.  I think it was only because he could stay up longer than anyone.  All the rest of us passed out and he just kept playing!

I'm kidding.  He was just the most tenacious, brutal player I have ever met.  He wheeled and dealed and welched and belched.  He was good.

Well, my kids love Monopoly.

And they don't have just the original Monopoly anymore.

Nope.

They have Family Guy Monopoly:

          


And my kids LOVE Family Guy.

They also have sports Monopoly games.  Like Sooneropoly:

                               

Of course we own this one.

They even have The Christmas Story Monopoly:

                  

They even have the tiny leg lamp!!

My favorite, of course, because I am old school, is the vintage, original Monopoly:

                                      

They put out a reproduction a few years back with this same game box.  To die for if you are a collector.

Its not just the game anymore, that people love.  There are so many things you can do with Monopoly paraphenalia.

Check out this cute notebook with the covers made out of a Monopoly board:

                       

Or this altered cigar box made into a Monopoly purse:



Isn't that the cutest??

My favorite, right now, however, is my own creation.  Yes, I guess I'm biased!  A Monopoly charm bracelet.

Tell me what you think......

It is a must have for every Monopoly lover!

It has everything from the Monopoly game:

It has every denomination of play money in the game:  the white $1 and the pink $5.
It also has the infamous "get out of jail free" card.  That CHANCE card was coveted during our games as children.

The delicious FREE PARKING space on the board was also a favorite, especially since we put all our money in there for everything!!  I am sure that broke many of the rules, but we loved it!
The yellow $10 bill that used to buy so much....
The tiny green house that cost $18 in rent if you landed on someone's space.

The green $20 bill and the blue $50 bill flank the actual tiny Monopoly board.  It is about  a one inch square!

Collecting the $200 salary was also glorious, as well as the tiny dice and the gold $100 bill.

Everyone wanted to buy Boardwalk and it was always a race around the board to see who could get it first.  We didn't care if we spend our last dime on it, $400 never seemed like too much!
The electric gold $500 bill was few and far between, as were the tiny green hotels.

SIDEBAR:  If you are a true Monopoly player, yes, I know the hotels were red.  But they were way too big to fit on this bracelet, so I found one in another Monopoly game that was green.

Sue me.

If you find you love Monopoly as much as I do, please visit my ETSY site and purchase this collectible bracelet.

http://www.southernheidibelle.etsy.com/

It is $40 and well worth it.  Heck, if you don't feel like wearing it out and about, you can let your Barbie dolls play with it. 

Kidding.

Norman, Oklahoma

                        

Next stop on my crazy train is Norman, Oklahoma.

Yes, yes, yes.  Its the home of the Sooners.  If you are not a Sooners fan, I am terribly sorry for you.  I will keep you in my thoughts.  If you are a Sooner, then BOOMER SOONER!!!

It is a crazy cult like following, those Oklahoma Sooners. 

Truly, I don't know any different.  I was a Sooner born, and Sooner bred and when I die, I'll be Sooner dead.  RAH Oklahoma, RAH Oklahoma, RAH Oklahoma, OKU!!

Ok, I got all caught up in the insanity.

Basically, I never considered going to any other college.  And it was not because I was forced to go there, or my family pressured me.  After all, it wasn't like I was going to play on the football team, right?

So, I came.

And I conquered.

Or so I thought.

I loved being in Norman.  Quite frankly, I felt like I was at home.  It wasn't a huge place and the biggest thing there was the college.

And everyone loves college right?  Not the classes, so much, as I slept through my share of those...
But the whole experience.

The late night, do whatever you wants,  the sorority functions, pizza 24 hours a day, controlling what classes you took, lots of boys to date.

What's not to love?

I must say the campus is gorgeous too.  This is one of the ovals:

     

They were always doing cool floral designs in both of the ovals.

Also gorgeous, the Bizzell Memorial Library:

                    

And here is the world's tiniest picture of the dorm rooms there.  (It was all I could find)

                               

And if you have been to Norman, then you know about the stadium.  The sight is unbelievable.



And now on Game Day:

                                     
                                       

It is like a sea of red.....

There are also the statues across from the stadium of our Heisman Winners:

                                             

My favorite is the Sam Bradford statue with his famous touchdown pose.

I also have to throw out some props to my old Sorority house

1105 S. College.  It is still the only address I can remember off the top of my head.  And I only lived there for three years. 

                                              

It was truly gorgeous.

I had some favorite places to eat there also.  Pizza Shuttle is the first that comes to mind.  Not because it was my favorite, but because it was open til 4 in the morning and I ate that pizza more than any other food my freshman year.

                        

I also loved Classic 50's.  It was the original Sonic.  It has been in Norman before Sonic even came around.  And it had fried pickles!  Here is their menu board:

                  

There were a ton of cool places to eat in Norman.  But most of them are closed down now.  A few to mention:  Pinnochio's (best breadsticks award) and Cocina de Mino (best queso award) are a few. 

Also, Harold's closed down.  It was the clothing store I worked at all during college.  It was a fun place to make a buck.  

But you know whats still there?  Brothers.

                 

A fun bar we went to on the weekends in college.  In fact, Keith, the owner, married one of the gals I worked with at Harolds.  Sometimes I see them on game days.

Most importantly about Norman, it was where my first son was born.  His first house was ironically on Texas Street.  Maybe that was a sign......

I still love to go back to Norman.   And when I do, I always go downtown and check out Campus Corner.  I always check out the stadium.  And then I check out highway 35 to see what has been built.

My boys love Norman. 

They all want to go to OU. 

I can't say I blame them............