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My chat with Grandma Sandridge

January 20, 2020 By april dillow 2 Comments

When I was a little girl, I would play dress up with all my grandma’s jewelry. She has the most beautiful pieces, kept together so nicely, and often in their original packaging. We would spend hours going through those old jewelry boxes and I would try everything on. She would explain where it all came from and where she wore it. I thought it would be fun if I shared a little bit of her with you, so I interviewed her! Here’s what happened: April: I know how much you love jewelry…my love for jewelry started way back in that trunk we used to dive through when I was a kid...when did your ...

Remembering with a smile

August 29, 2019 By april dillow 4 Comments

When my sister in law turned 30, I surprised her with a birthday cake. I was just getting into the cake decorating thing and hers was the first I'd made with fondant flowers. I remember finishing it and sending a picture to my brother. He said he was speechless and “elegant” was the only word he could think of. He was excited for her to see it and he was proud of me. John never saw The Stamped Lily. He never saw me play around with leather and metal. He never saw me stamp a shell casing or stamp some of Joe’s scrap sheet metal pieces from the garage. Sometimes I dream of what he ...

This is scary

August 6, 2019 By april dillow 2 Comments

This is scary. New seasons tend to be that way don’t they? While I was thinking and planning for this new season it was exciting and the anticipation made me a little giddy. But now it’s here. And the parts I was once excited about, now feel more like fear. It’s uncomfortable for me to embrace the title “writer”. It implies that I’m not just “playing around” behind the keyboard. It implies that I have something to say and the vulnerability that’s required is almost more than I can handle. But, I’m doing it anyway. I’m moving slowly in the direction I feel God calling me and ...

Kitchen Cabinets

July 5, 2019 By april dillow Leave a Comment

You should know a couple things about me and DIY projects: 1 – We have a love hate relationship 2 – They take twice as long as I think they will 3 – My ideas and my motivation don’t always line up 4 – I don’t have enough patience 5 – I want the quickest way to the end result All this being said, I have re-finished a dresser, a desk, our kitchen island, and the cabinets in our half bath before tackling this project. I realize this isn’t the most glamorous way to introduce a blog on how I re-finished my kitchen cabinets but I want you to know the TRUTH! I’m not a ...

5 Tips for a Successful Thrift Store Haul

September 19, 2018 By april dillow Leave a Comment

Okay, so you’ve seen my denim blazer, my lace tops, and my epic leather accessories and you’ve decided you’re gonna give this whole “thrifting thing” a chance…except for one thing: You feel like you don’t know what you’re doing! Don’t worry, I’m sharing my top five thrifting tips for ultimate thrift store score success! Even if you’re a veteran, it’s always fun to hear how others thrift…am I right? You walk through the doors of the thrift store and smell the aroma of possibility. Okay, possibility sometimes smells a little musty and old, but don’t leave! I promise it’s so fun. Here we go!Ask ...