End of an Era

Today is the final day that House of 3 will be online. I have to go through and make sure everything I've bought over the last couple of years is downloaded to a hard drive and is stored away safe & sound because come tomorrow, it will be no longer available. It's kind of a sad day today. House of 3 has influenced my creativity so much over the last two years and their designs can be seen all over my house, on my blog, and has given me a new understanding and appreciation for the art form that is digital design. I use their products literally daily and it's just amazing how things can be changed an infinite number of ways to create something new and fresh continuously. If you haven't bought any of their products- you need to got there TODAY and download something simple. Even if it's just a printable banner or card kit- you will be able to do so much with it!



Luckily for all of us, the digital designer from House of 3, Rhonna Farrer is still creating on a smaller scale on her blog. She has release a few incredible digital kits, and I've snatched up all three as fast I could push "Buy Now". My favorites are these new frames that I will be using all summer long


She has hinted about some new projects on her blog and I am wishing and hoping and thinking and praying that she is about to drop a whole bunch of new digi designs. I can't wait to see what she has in store for all of us!

Memorial Day Weekend Projects

Soooo, it's Memorial Day Weekend, and I have some big plans. First and foresmost- I have photos to edit, photos to take, and flyers to drop off for hello there! house. I also have to clean my dirty house and tend to a sick Penelope. Oh, and I really want to try and squeeze in a trip to Schnepf Farm to pick peaches. Cripes, I better get off my computer and get to work.

But after that's all done, I really want to do some sewing this weekend. Olivia is in desperate need of some new clothes since she has sprouted like a weed, and my own wardrobe definitely lacking. Remember when I asked people to vote on a new sewing project a couple of months ago? Well this was the winner:

Source: judithmarch.com via Rosemary on Pinterest

It looks easy enough, so I think I may give it a whirl today. Also, I am thinking about one of these:

Source: calypsostbarth.com via Rosemary on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Rosemary on Pinterest

Source: calypsostbarth.com via Rosemary on Pinterest

Source: mrslemons.wordpress.com via Rosemary on Pinterest

Source: shopruche.com via Rosemary on Pinterest

Source: judithmarch.com via Rosemary on Pinterest

And I need to make my La La some dress- maybe a couple of these:

Source: sweetplume.blogspot.com via Rosemary on Pinterest

Source: sweetplume.blogspot.com via Rosemary on Pinterest

Source: 1.bp.blogspot.com via Rosemary on Pinterest

Source: sweetplume.blogspot.com via Rosemary on Pinterest

Source: blog.peekaboophotos.com via Rosemary on Pinterest

Source: garnethill.com via Rosemary on Pinterest

Here's to a happy, productive Memorial Day Weekend!

Let's Hang Out June 10th!

We are having our first Meet 'n' Greet mini event for hello there! house Friday, June 10th at Urban Picnic! I am so excited and busy preparing all the stuff we are sharing at the Meet 'n' Greet, getting the swag bags put together, and inviting special guests- I can't wait to show you all the surprises in store for our Meet 'n' Greet attendees!

Get your $10 tickets here, and go to the hello there! house blog for more info!

Photos From The Portfolio Project One

I pulled some of my favorite photos from The Portfolio Project Photo Shoot I did two weeks ago, and I'm really happy with the ones I got. I have a lot of practice to do, but I know with a few more of these, I will get the hang of it.

It's a Sad Sad Day

Olivia is growing up! Her last day of pre-school was today and I'm starting to get real bummed about her starting Kindergarten :(



How cute is her Last Day of Preschool/First Day of Summer Dress sewn by my mom? I love it!

If you build it, they will come

Source: imgfave.com via Rhonna on Pinterest

Last week was a not-so-great week for me. For some reason I was super emotional (I think I have a hormone imbalance. Maybe because I'm a baby-making machine that is not having babies so my body is like "Um, where's the baby? We're just going to pump you full of hormones anyway just in case you change your mind.") and I started to doubt myself again. Like I had a crying fit because I was starting to feel like maybe I'm just not a successful person and nothing I ever do will ever work out and basically I'm a big loser and a wishful thinker and that's all I'll ever be.

Sigh. Why do I get like this?

90% of the time I have confidence and drive and determination but there it was- that crappy 10% making me feel like a failure before I've even started. So I cried and cried and picked fights with my husband that probably were totally unnecessary and was cranky with my kids and basically sucked at life last week. Yesterday I woke up and decided it was Sunday, a start to a new week and I needed to get a freakin grip and get the hell out of my funk. We had Sunday Funday- took the kids & dogs to the park, gave the dogs a bath, made Rhubarb muffins, ate Patron burritos from Filibertos (RECOMMENDED) and I read a book. Sherlock Holmes if you must know. It was a relaxing, soothing day full of nothing but fun and no work. No stress. And it was lovely.

Now it's Monday and I'm all Eye of the Tiger again. I've got a lot of work to do for hello there! house, and I'm done doubting myself. I have a lot of people's support, especially my dad who told me that even if this thing is a complete and total failure and no one signs up and you lose your deposit on the venue, if it's something that you really think is a great thing- then try again and learn from your mistakes. Try to do better the next time. Don't give up.

My dad is SUCH an inspiration to me and I feel like if he believes in me, then I better suck it up and believe in myself and do my very best. As nervous as I was about it last week, I am confident that if I put all my random skills together and make this event the best thing that ever happened in Arizona- people will come.

So that's just what I'm going to do. And frankly, you & I would be crazy to expect otherwise ;)

Friday Pinterest Round Up

It's a lazy Friday (except by lazy I mean I've been designing all day in my pjs and haven't brushed my teeth. Blegh.) Perfect day for my Pinterest Faves.

Source: iveneverbeentoogoodwithsecrets.tumblr.com via Rosemary on Pinterest

Source: e-tells-tales.blogspot.com via Rosemary on Pinterest

Source: ohsobeautifulpaper.com via Rosemary on Pinterest

Source: None via Rosemary on Pinterest

Source: hitherandthither.net via Rosemary on Pinterest

Source: celebrationsathomeblog.com via Rosemary on Pinterest

Source: flickr.com via Rosemary on Pinterest

Source: stylemepretty.com via Rosemary on Pinterest

Hope these brightened your day as much as they did mine :)

hello there! house news

I've been working away on my newest project: hello there! house. If you haven't checked out the website and blog to find out what it's all about, let me share here. It's basically a new, unique spin on a home & garden convention. The Event will feature classes from 9 am- 5pm that range from gardening to painting to interior design to eco friendly green options to urban farming & sustainability. View all the different classes on our classes page on the website- there's a ton and plenty to get excited about. There are both group classes and hands on "breakout" classes where you will get your hands dirty and do some take home DIY projects. All the details of the classes and a spotlight on the teachers will be on the hello there! house blog leading up to the event.

In addition to the classes, we will be having some delicious, locally grown cuisine from The Center Bistro. This morning at our meeting we were served a Spinach & Sun Dried Tomato Frittata with Rosemary Thyme Potatoes and Fresh Fruit. All I can say is your head is going to spin over the food at the event. Utterly incredible. The chef will be teaching our Garden to Table class as well as holding some super fun top secret stuff that we will be unveiling in a few weeks. Get excited.

Outside we will be holding a Boutique Market that will feature some amazing local vendors and resources to all things home & garden. Again, we will be highlighting all our vendors on our blog as the event gets closer, but just know that there will be some shopping to do and a lot of things to learn. The boutique market will be open to the public so the vendors will have the opportunity to share their goods with all of Downtown Tempe & Mill Avenue as well as our Event Guests.

After the classes are over for the day, we will be having a happy hour for our guests to shop at the market, get drinks & food from The Center, and listen to live music put on by Ear Candy who donates proceeds to music programs in schools. Another way we will be giving back is an auction for a Custom Painted Piano that both Event Guests and the public can bid online for, which proceeds will go to Homeward Bound Charity.

We've joined Twitter, Facebook, & Pinterest so everyone can keep up with what we have going on- so follow us & like us to stay in the loop!

There are a couple more exciting things we have in the works that will be shared once finalized but there are a ton of reasons to join us for our Event in October, so head on over to our Event Brite page and grab your Early Bird tickets at $150 before they jump up to $225

Love Sessions: Kristi & Paul

This happy couple got engaged at Tempe Town Lake, so we met down there last week and took some long overdue Love photos. They have been married for a few years now, but you'd think they just got engaged- they were so into each other. It's so awesome to see couples that have gotten married and have kids and don't let life get in the way of loving one another.







And I couldn't resist snapping this sweet photo of their darling little girl Brightly, who just loves her momma.



View the rest of their gorgeous photos in my client gallery, and contact me at rosemary@rosemary-watson.com to schedule your own Lovely Love Session.

We interrupt your Monday for a new favorite jam....

And some attractive male hip hop dancers. This song has been playing over and over in our house. This band has sooooo many good songs- my dad is a HUGE music lover and has become obsessed with The Airborne Toxic Event because they actually have some real musical and songwriting talent. If he likes them, you know they're good.

PS_ We've extended our hello there! house Linking Giveaway until midnight tonight- link to the hello there! house blog & leave us a comment and you can come to our 2 day Event full of classes, good food, make & take projects, swag bags, & our Goodbye Bash! All that just for linking to us!

Link to hello there! house to win a FREE EVENT PASS!

Head on over to the hello there! house blog and check out all the details on how to enter to win a FREE Event Pass to hello there! house. You'll get the 2 days full of amazing classes, make & take projects, breakfast & lunch by The Center Bistro, swag bags stuffed full of fantastic prezzies, and you'll get to come to our Goodbye Bash party! All just for linking to the hello there! house blog and leaving a comment telling us you did! What could be easier for a better prize? Link it up baby!

Inspiration to Creation: Project 3

Are you ready for my latest Inspiration to Creation? My idea for this project came from this chair done by Miss Mustard Seed:

Source: missmustardseed.blogspot.com via Rosemary on Pinterest

I went to the good ole' Goodwill by my house and scored this broken cane-backed chair for $13.


Then I followed the tutorial Miss Mustard Seed had on her blog about how to do the chair above. There's 3 posts in all- one on the finishing, one on the upholstered back, and one on the pleated slipcover.

Here's the process of the finishing:


First I painted it in the Georgian Blue from Sherwin Wililams- I just bought the $6 sample size


Then I dry brushed it with the French Grey from Behr- used the $3 sample size


Next I sanded the whole thing down with a coarse sandpaper to scratch up the paint really good and burnish the edges. Here is where I made a change from Miss Mustard Seed's tutorial: I used a Salem colored stain to glaze the piece instead of using actual faux finish glaze, just because we have it on hand for Braden's furniture finishing.

I also wanted to add a little more pizzaz to the piece so I bought some metallic silver & gold acrylic paint from JoAnne's and added some random smudges of gold & silver to the piece. It made a HUGE difference!




So there's the Finishing Process, then I followed her directions for the seat slipcover & the upholstery. Braden was in charge of the stapler gun naturally, since i was bound to shoot myself in the foot (literally). I don't have pictures of that process though. Again I jzsoojed up the MMS tutorial by adding some ruffled flowers that were inspired by April Meeker, who was sweet as peach pie to share the secret to these!

Source: secondsisterdesigns.com via Rosemary on Pinterest

All the upholstery is done with canvas dropcloth from the painting section at home depot!

And here is the full reveal! Ta-dahhh!


I'm super happy with it. Bows, ruffle flowers, pleated skirted slipcovers, and metallic distressed paint? All my favorite things in one chair.