My kids! :)

In June, my middle daughter graduated, we had father's day and my husband's birthday all rolled into one backyard BBQ!

I wanted to do something special for my husband this year, so I took my kids to get their pictures taken.

 Just getting all the kids together at one time and keeping it a secret from my husband was quite a feat! I left them at the photographer (while I ran off to get my hair done- scheduling don't you know!) with specific instructions for them to behave! lol They were allowed one silly shot, but the rest had to be good pictures!

I apologise for them being slightly distorted. I don't know how to scan, so I took pictures of the pictures. Actually, that's wrong. I do know how to scan... I just don't know where it goes after it's scanned. ;)

Imagine my surprise and joy to find these lovely shots of my kids. :)

I just wanted one good picture to hang in my living room. They were all so good I almost cried! I couldn't decide which to get, so I got some of them all. :)

The top pic I will have enlarged for the wall. So hard to pick just one!

Have you ever seen the website AwkwardFamilyPhotos? If you haven't you should definitely take a peek at it. It's very funny and puts all of us in stitches!  There is a photo like this one, but is like a family of six laying on top of one another. So, when the photographer put my kids in this pose, they could not stop laughing. I can tell from the pic that my oldest in the middle there was in hysterics! :)

So, despite my oldest coming home with green hair (it was brown the last time I saw her), I think the pictures came out pretty good. And all the long hair covered up the majority of piercings, nice! :)

a pic of hubby and I from mumble, mumble, years ago. ;)

The last time I had their picture taken (besides the yearly school shots) was when they were two, three and four. I think they were those ages! lol ;) This one was done by a professional photographer. And cost almost as much as my wedding photography, but well worth it I think. I love this shot of my babies.

This time, we went to JCPenney's Portrait Studio. I don't think I have been there since I used to get baby pics of them. What a great value and my middle ended up with a job when they found out she was going to art school. It pays to brag about your kids! :)

I think my boy would make a great model. :)

Featured Artisan Anita from MiniPotteryByAnita

On our trip down south in June, the first stop we made was at Anita's Pottery.

Anita and I have been chatting online for a long time now. She's a fellow member of TeamMIDS on etsy.

While we have chatted on the phone, we never saw one another and didn't know what each other looked like. It was so much fun to put a face to the voice. 

And, to get a nice big hug in person! :)

Anita is a lot of fun and very animated and chatty, so I knew I was going to just love her, which I did. She has what I can only explain as a girlish charm about her, fun, happy and excited about what ever she is talking about and mostly that's pottery.

Anita lives in a town called Seagrove, NC. Hubby and I noticed driving through the many, many pottery shops that were there. I'm like, oh, my goodness, Anita lives in Pottery Heaven!

Actually, when Anita began her work in pottery in the late 80's there were just around 20 pottery shops. The  area became a destination point for pottery buyers and eventually, other pottery makers as well. Now, there are around 100 pottery shops in the area.

Anita has a lovely country garden to walk through to the entrance of her shop. A kitty cat awaits on the stoop. There is her dog behind the counter, keeping her company.

The shop has a country appeal to it as well. She sells her own pottery, full sized and of course in mini. She also sells some vintage pottery and some works from others. It's a darling shop.

 Anita has been featured in the local publication, "In The Grove."

Anita is one busy lady!

Not only does Anita maintain her brick and mortar shop, she has a shop on etsy, and a shop on artfire.

Of course, while I was there, I had to pick up a few items.

 The stack of blue bowls is actually for 1/6 scale, fashion or barbie dolls, but, I could not resist them.

Look at the sweet blue basket! The little aqua pot directly behind has the sweetest detailing on it and the green one next to it reminds me of vintage pottery.

The purse on the right is one of her latest creations and was her gift to me. You don't even have to be a miniaturist to love it!

You can see more of her mini purses here.

Even hubby got into the pottery and bought this life sized vintage piece. 

I love the frog holes. :)

All of the links in pink are clickable, have fun! :)

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I might have to do a giveaway when I reach 400! :)