Tuesday, May 5, 2009, by Leigh Anne & Sherra
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Introducing a new column we’ll feature from time to time…because as we’ve told you before we love to find things.
If you thought her kitchen was pretty, just wait until you scroll down to see her garden. It is more than pretty…it is gorgeous and has even been featured in The Oregonian and an online gardening magazine. She probably wouldn’t tell you that so I had to brag for her. That’s what friends are for, right?!

Leigh Anne says…
I love my garden – almost as much as my kitchen. It is an extension of our home. Fifteen years ago when we bought our home we also bought 17,000 square feet of dirt. Yes, dirt, no grass, no trees, no plants!

My gardening experience to this point had been three pots of geraniums on my front porch!
So not only did my garden have a lot of growing to do but so did I. I needed to learn how to be a gardener.
So thanks to lots of books, magazines, nursery employees and a helpful garden designer my yard grew into this!

This transformation didn’t happen over night – it took years.



I am still growing and changing just like my garden. Each season something new and beautiful presents itself to me as well as some new weeds – just like life! With the beautiful we’ve also had the ugly – bugs, slugs, and disease. I’ve learned a lot of life lessons from my garden. I’ve learned that a lot of patience is required for growth as well as hard work. If we give something enough time and effort amazing things can grow!
Popularity: 46% [?]
Categories: Encouragement, Finding the Pretty, Inspiration, Renewal
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Tuesday, March 3, 2009, by Leigh Anne & Sherra
Introducing a new column we’ll feature from time to time…because as we’ve told you before we love to find things. Look for Sherra’s “Finding the Funny” later this month.
Right now, enjoy this peek into Leigh Anne’s home and her fabulous gift for “Finding the Pretty.”

Leigh Anne says…
Our word of the month is Home here at iLashGirls. Home can mean many different things to different people. But when I think of home the first things I think of are family and food. Yes – the two go together at our house. We are a bunch of foodies!
So when Sherra and I decided to write about our favorite room in our home, the kitchen of course was my first choice!
I love my kitchen.

My kitchen is just an average kitchen.
I don’t have state of the art appliances. In fact my stovetop is black and the dishwasher is stainless and my refrigerator and oven are still white – someday, maybe after the kids are out of college, they will all match.

There are definitely things I would change about my kitchen – a bigger pantry and double ovens are at the top of the list but I love my kitchen!
Why do I love it?
I love it because it is truly the heart and center of our home. It is where we all come together.
Not only are meals prepared and eaten in my kitchen but it is where the kids gather to do their homework, games are played with lots of laughs and of course the occasional quarrel and disagreement – what would a family game be without that!

The kitchen is where we eat and pray together. When people stop by – they don’t sit down in the living room or the family room – they pull out a stool and sit around the island or the kitchen table and visit.
When we have parties, no matter how hard I try to get people to visit in the other rooms everyone ends up in the kitchen – gathered around the island!
Because I spend so much time in my kitchen I want it to be as pretty as any other room of my house. The walls are a yummy, buttery yellow. I have surrounded myself with pretty things. If I have to use a mixing bowl – it might as well be a pretty one!
I usually have a candle or two or three or four or even five burning in my kitchen.

I love hand painted pottery and ceramics and have quite a collection that lines the tops and insides of my cabinets. I don’t just look at it – I use it too! Pretty cookbooks are another thing that line the shelves of my kitchen. A cookbook should not only have yummy recipes but pretty pictures too!
My favorite kitchen tool is my Kitchen-Aid! I love that thing and it is well used, chipped and worn and is almost always covered in flour, sugar, or something! Someday I hope to have a green one!


One of the other things I love about my kitchen is that it looks out into my garden – another favorite “room” in my home!

But the best part of my kitchen is all the yummy food that is made there and shared by family and friends!

Welcome to my kitchen! Come on in and pull up a stool!

All of these lovely pictures of my kitchen were taken by my friend and wonderful photographer Meg. You can check out her work at her blog – Megan Daines Photography

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Categories: Finding the Pretty, Food, Inspiration, Moments & Memories
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