june 2014: home again!

Well I thought I would write about packing for 3 weeks in one backpack, but I decided that I wanted to continue on with the summer! 

As soon as I got back from Europe, I hit the ground running with so many activities! When Tom picked us up from the airport, we got a little americana with some lotto tickets. 

Bink's friends welcomed us back so nicely at the Payne St. house! 

We went to sleep super early around 8:30pm, which so nicely setup waking up at 6am! We decided to go to Barbecue House, my favorite breakfast spot in Auburn (and possibly lunch and dinner too). 

We ran into my friends, the Wells, who had brought their little family in for breakfast! What's weird is I ALWAYS run into them places, even in Dothan. Andrea was prego in this pic with sweet baby Keller, who was about to make her appearance! 

The first big event was Smalls' wedding. You recall her bachelorette trip to Chicago, yes? Bink and I got home from Europe on a Wednesday, ran to Dothan Thursday to get the doggies, then I was in Montgomery Friday morning for the bridesmaid's luncheon. 

Emily Ann, Jackie, Smalls, me, and Kate were all in the same sorority in college.

Emily Ann and I before the wedding. Big thanks to Jackie for fixing my hair! I feel like a real girl, because I can curl it on my own now! New trick, y'all! 

With the beauuuutiful bride! 

At the reception

First dance! 

Smalls' got me to do the signs for the sparkler table. I love getting to be a little part of my friends' weddings! 

The wedding was great! I had so much fun with everyone. I wish I would've taken more pictures! 

Right before I went to Europe, I got giant orders from two different companies. One was West Elm, where I already had pieces. They were doing a big launch of local artists, and they ordered 120 string arts! AND LOOK! 

THEY PUT MY ART ON THE NATIONAL WEST ELM EMAIL!!! 

My instagram name is wrong, but oh well! Still very exciting!! It took FOR.EV.ER to get those 120 pieces complete, but I finally did it! Here is one delivery I took up there. 

There was a special section in the store with all the WE Local artists. 

Very exciting! I did 4 color ways for them, dark stain, light stain, red stain, blue stain. 

The other company that contacted me was State Traditions! They were starting an online marketplace to sell art that went along with their theme of state clothing. They ordered 80 (!) pieces! That's right, I had 200 pieces to create after I got home. It was NUTS, but I got it all complete! 

They wanted some flag themed pieces. 

Along with states with collegiate colors. 

I loved the way they turned out! 

A week after Smalls' wedding was my friend Virginia's wedding in New Orleans. 

Most of us stayed in the Hotel Monteleone. It has the famous carousel bar that turns while you sit on the bar stools. 

Virginia and I went to high school together (actually we were at HA since kindergarten), so tons of Dothan friends came to celebrate! 

Abby, Jenny, Laurie, James, me, Kathryn

We got one of all the Dothanites that we could wrangle together.

My roomie Carl came to play as well! He walked me back to the hotel one night, and we heard what I believe was a Michael Jackson song playing in a bar, so we jumped in for a quick dance haha! 

The church was beautiful! 

After the ceremony! 

At the reception with the bride! (Jensen, Kathryn, Virginia, me, Katie, Jenny)

Colby!! 

On the dance floor! 

My ma was there too! 

After the reception, we all grabbed a white napkin/handkerchief and followed the bride and groom through the streets while a band played. It was so fun! 

We walked back to the hotel, where we danced around for a bit before turning in for the night! 

Virginia got me to design their coozies for the wedding! She had the sayings, I just did the fonts/layout. Again, I love being a little part of my friends' weddings! 

My sweet babies made this heart one day! 

I went to the lake several times during June. Good ol' dad acting himself. 

My friend Andrea had sweet baby Keller, and I was super excited to get to go to the hospital to meet her! 

They are just the sweetest family! 

I had driven over from the lake to see the baby, then went back to hang out with these nuggets. 

Of course a bunch of these babies came with me to work on. 

"Sweet" baby Bo decided to eat a hole in my house. 

I guess it was a good thing, because he discovered a busted pipe in the wall from the kitchen sink. Not so good, because he acquired a taste for cedar shingles. I finally broke him from doing it, but man was that a big stress ball. And chunk of change. Woof. 

The activities didn't stop in June! We had lots of fun in July.