A Little Piece of Heaven

A Buffet Makeover

2012-02-02T19:55:00.000-08:00

before

I found this buffet in a trash pile at someone's house and I knew it had lots of potential. I almost forgot to take a before picture so I had already started sanding the top and I removed the broken drawer that was in the middle. It had a wheat stalk carving on it, so I didn't mind if it was broken. This is a solid wood buffet but it had a bad, thick white paint job.

after

I almost forgot to take After pictures too! Here it is in my booth on the day it sold. I left the opening in the middle and added a piece of thin wood to the bottom and painted it the same color. I thought it would be a great t.v. cabinet for a flat screen and the t.v. "stuff" could go in the front opening.

As a buffet, I had dishes stacked up inside of it and I also bought the basket to fit in that space for linen storage etc. Sorry it looks a little junked up. I was trying to move everything around to get it out of the booth and onto it's new home

I mixed some light gray paint I already had with some black until I got the desired gray I wanted. I sanded it all over lightly just to smooth the surface and take the sheen away, then I gave it two coats of that gray paint. I then distressed it and glazed it with some "Antiquing Glaze" from Lowes. I stripped the top down to bare wood using my hand sander and then stained it with a dark walnut stain.

I added some new brushed nickel hardware and there you have it! A new, old buffet/tv stand that someone was going to throw away. Ahhhh, the thrill of the rescue! I really wanted this piece somewhere in my home, but I decided to take it to sell it in my new booth. It already found a new home, so I'm working on my next piece. Stay tuned!

My Christmas Home Tour

2011-12-23T12:45:00.001-08:00

Well, Christmas is just about here and I am finally getting to share my home with you. I have so enjoyed gettting to peek inside other homes all decked out for Christmas, so I wanted to show you mine. Thanks for stopping by!

The weather has been really warm for Christmas this year. It kinda put me in a "fresh coastal Christmas" kind of mood. I used lots of cedar clippings from the backyard and added my favorite blue jars, starfish, and some ornaments in the dining room.

This produce box is a decorating "staple" I use year round to hold different seasonal arrangements. I found it at a garage sale for $2; can't beat that!

I finally completed my set of this brown transferware after a few trips to the thrift store, then stumbling upon the rest at a garage sale. They are a classic for every season too!

I planned to have my new stockings finished this year too, but that didn't happen. Maybe next year...

I love these glittery snowflakes from Target. They have so many different colors and I put them throughout the house at Christmastime, and sometimes all winter long.

I made these bird ornaments from book pages using this tutorial.

This is my favorite tree in the house. It is in my favorite room, the sunroom. I am partial to this room because it is officially "my" room and it stays pretty neat and tidy unlike the rest of the house. It has an outdoor feel to it and so does this tree. I might leave it up all winter. We will see.

Our little elf, Jingle, has been hanging around our house this month and he decided to hang out in here with me and have some tea.

I hope you enjoyed my little tour, and from my family to yours, MERRY CHRISTMAS! We went to our local Christmas pageant tonight. It is outdoors and they use real animals, so the kids love it. I was reminded that Jesus coming to earth for us is such a GIFT! No wonder everyone was so excited that night! May I never lose that excitement about what Jesus did for me and for all who will accept His gift. Now, go unwrap your gift!

Our Outdoor Thanksgiving

2011-11-28T20:20:00.000-08:00

For several years now, my sister and I have dreamt of an outdoor table set for Thanksgiving just like you seen in the magazines. It always has ended up being too cold or windy, but this year, it finally happened. The weather was just about perfect, so we moved the tables outside and we celebrated our Thanksgiving in my sister's backyard.

We had a kids' table and an adult table simply adorned with a white sheet on one and a matlesse on the other with a few fall runners I made a few years ago. I topped them with some free pumpkins and gourds that I got at a church pumpkin patch the day after Halloween.

My neices were in charge of the "thankful" bucket and they had everyone fill out what they were thankful for on a sheet of paper and drop it in the bucket. They read these aloud to everyone once we finished eating. It was fun to hear what everyone came up with, especially the kids! Their answers were so sweet and simple.

Our simple harvest table. Did I mention that I love Fall?!!

All the most important people in my life...I feel so thankful for family.

These special peeps make every holiday more fun...We ate till our bellies were too full, then I crafted with the girls, the boys played football, and we sat around the fire outside and just talked. What a fun day!

I had a very enjoyable and memorable Thanksgiving. I feel God has blessed me beyond what I can even measure or fathom. I have so much to cherish here on earth, but the best gift still awaits, and that is eternal life with my Savior, Jesus Christ. I am so thankful to know He is preparing a special (and perfect) place for me in heaven with Him. Wow! Now that is good news!

I hope you had a good Thanskgiving too. Now onto Christmas decorating, shopping, and birthday planning for a special little girl...tis the season to be busy!

A Chilly Halloween Night

2011-11-01T11:17:00.000-07:00

Here are the kids sporting their costumes last night ready to trick or treat. Makenna's clown costume is one that I wore as a kid. My mom made one for me and my sister. It was neat to see her wearing it!

My hubby has a bum knee, so we did the latter part of trick-or-treating like this. It was so cold riding on the golf cart that we stopped at my mom's for some hot chocolate and a blanket. I so love having her close by. You're the best, Mom! (If you are wondering what my costume is, it's a "fork in the road" It was starting to fall apart by this point.)

I haven't showed much of my fall decor on the blog this year, so here are a few pics. The kids added the Frankenstein pumpkin and some spider webs for an extra special touch ;)

Our mean carved pumpkin. Bryce is into the "scary" stuff this year. I think it's a boy thing...

Here is what I did on the little buffet table in my kitchen. I finally did some of those DIY zinc letters and they turned out great. Go here for the tutorial if you want to make some. I got these clay letters at an antique store for $1 each, but you can get cardboard ones at Hobby Lobby for a few dollars. Hope your Halloween was memorable. Happy November!

A Vintage Glider Makeover

2011-10-31T07:14:00.000-07:00

BEFORE You might remember when I posted about this awesome 1940's glider that I found last month. I took a poll asking for color votes and red won. I love how she looks in red!

AFTER
First I pressure washed it to get any loose paint off, then I primed it with two coats of Rustoleum automobile primer which was tinted to go under red. Then I sprayed it with 2 coats of Rustoleum Regal Red. Red spray paint can be tricky and sometimes come out too bright, but this color is a very pretty red I think.

I added some pillows, a quilt and some pumpkins for a night around the fire.

This is a cozy little sitting area out back and we have already used it a lot with the beautiful fall weather. Now there is lots of seating for roasting some yummy smores on a chilly night.

So, what do you think about her new color?

Happy Halloween!

Country Living Fair

2011-10-25T19:02:00.000-07:00

I went to the Country Living Fair again this year and this time I brought my favorite little shopping partner with me. It was a beautiful day and once again, the vendors did not dissapoint. So much eye candy...enjoy the pics.

these numbers are on my wish list.

I have to make this sign!

I met the owner of French Laundry, Debbie Jones. I just LOVE her fabrics and her products. I would have a whole housefull of it if I could. I bought the bag I am wearing with the horse on it. It's hard to see here, but so cute!

So inspiring!

Saw this a-d-o-r-a-b-l-e vintage camper. I must have one someday!

Check out how cozy the inside is.

and the sweet little kitchen. What a perfect way to camp!

I'll share more of my finds from the Country Living Fair soon. One of them is going to be another light fixture that hubby needs to hang. That is 2 on his "to do" list now...He loves having a list :)

Let there be Stripes!

2011-10-01T19:14:00.000-07:00

If you read my little ole blog semi-regularly, you might remember me doing a post on stripes a little while back. I have been envisioning some stripes in my hallway for sometime, then I finally got around to making it happen.

4 men 1 lady

I love the way the stripes added such depth to this entryway.

before

Now my hall is much smaller than her entryway, so I decided to do more muted, wider stripes. First I painted the whole hall one color. I chose Panda White by SW. I already had the color because I had painted my kitchen that color and decided against it. Don't ya love when that happens?

I then measured the wall from top to bottom and I decided on 13 inch stripes so that gave me 8 stripes. The top and bottom stripes came out a little bigger because the measurement was not exact. I measured and taped it off. This was the longest part of the process! It made it longer when my little angel would tear off the tape when he went by on it on the way to his room. That did not make for a happy momma!

After it was taped, I used this foam roller to paint the contrasting color every other stripe. I used a shade darker than the base color, Wool Skein by SW. I had this color from the Living Room. I wished I had bought the wider foam roller for faster painting. So, if you decide to do this, then get the bigger one.

After two coats of paint and cutting in on the edges, ta-da! Here is the finished product and a very excited girl! I took the tape off while it was still wet because I couldn't wait to see it. At least I have one in the house who appreciates my crazy decorating whims.

The stripes are just what this hallway needed. It had been calling out for some character since we moved in. I am going to do a gallery wall here using old windows in different colors. Stay tuned for that upcoming project.

After
I feel like the hall became twice as long. Love it!

Next up, a DIY light fixture to replace the old brass ceiling light up there. I did not get a picture of it. More to come...

Decorating with Antlers

2011-09-14T15:16:00.001-07:00

Cooler weather has put me in the mood to do some fall decorating. I love using natural elements that could take me all the way to Christmas and maybe even through winter. I would like to include some antlers this year for something different, but problem is, I don't have any yet. I am on the hunt and finding some inspriration while I wait...
I love the birch candles with the antlers here.

Even pretty in the bedroom. The antlers can be bleached or spray painted for this look.

Simple and pretty with the pumpkins. I never thought I would call antlers pretty!

This antler chandelier is so cool and I love the way it is mixed into this cottage style porch.

Great collection of antlers hanging on the wall.

I just adore this idea for a towel rack outside.

All pictures found on pinterest

Now, I'm off to look for some antlers...

Will you be using any antlers in your fall decorating? I would love to hear your ideas.

A Granny Glider and the First Day of School

2011-09-09T13:56:00.000-07:00

I was having a great day yesterday and this weather has just put me in the best mood! I saw this old granny glider outside of a store I like to visit, so I quickly turned the van around to go see how much it was. I was getting back in the van after looking at the great price, when my little man begged to go in (they have dogs in there he likes to pet). So after chatting with the owner and sitting on it awhile enjoying the breeze, the "old gal" ended up in my van.

I have wanted one for years, so I am just giddy seeing her on my back patio. She is in need of a little makeover though, but she is in great shape structurally and glides really smoothly. She has been with the same owner all of her life. It is cool to think of all the chats over glasses of tea and coffee while sitting here. That adds so much character in my opinion!

I searched for inspiration trying to decide what color to paint it and came up with some great options...

via
I fell in LOVE with this idea! I have never thought of having a glider inside, but I think it looks so cool and out of the ordinary.

pinterest

If it stays outside, then I think this green would look good. I really like this coffee table too with the plants.

This red is so pretty too and my back door is red, so it would tie in nicely. I adore these pillows and the quilt on it too. The pillows are a must and I can't wait to add some.

This aqua color is so pretty and I love the two-toned look, but think I might tire of this look.

I would love to hear your opinions on the color, and do you think put it INSIDE or OUT???

Can't you just picture it with two big pots of mums on either side?

On another note, I am so behind on blogging. My big kids started school last month and they are doing great! Bryce is now in 4th grade, and everyone is telling me how much older he looks in this picture. I'll have to agree!

Makenna started 1st grade and is now going to all day school. I sure miss her, but she is loving it, making friends, and really excelling in her reading and schoolwork. You go girl!

Here is how "Little Man" dressed for the first day. He wore his p.j's and rainboots to walk the kids in and Bryce said that he was SO embarrased. I figure let him wear his pjs while he can, right?

We celebrated surviving the first day with Root Beer floats, or maybe this was the second day... I think this will be a good year!

k
n
o

A Beach Vacation, Some New Finds and a Step Ladder Makeover

2011-08-09T05:39:00.000-07:00

We enjoyed a week at the beach last month to getaway from the "everyday life". It always does wonders for my soul. Bryce and his dad did some fishing off the pier. They caught some and threw them back. They enjoyed it, but it sounds pretty cruel to me. I guess it is a guy thang...

I love to get pictures on the beach just before sunset. I think this is my favorite time of day there.

With the help of our friends and their kids, my kids helped to create this life size sand octupus. They were pretty proud of it. It took a lot of time and a few do overs but they kept building. It was so good just to get to hang out with my peeps without all the distractions of home and regular life. I can't wait to go back! The sand and surf is calling my name already...

I wanted to share a few finds from this summer too. I found this canvas subway style sign at T.J. Max and I just love this saying.
It is hanging in my foyer right when you come in the front door. I still haven't changed that wall color though. I'll get to that eventually...
I found this old fan on the way back from the beach. I love the patina and color. It is just perfect in my sunroom. It doesn't work, but hubby said the cord just needed to be changed because it has a cut in it. Hopefully that will work, but it still is pretty anyway.
I also found this Pepsi crate for a bargain. I love the color on this one too!
I spray painted this old step ladder a color called "Bright Idea" and it is so much more fun now than it was white. I also painted and distressed that shutter behind it. My sunroom seems to be taking a blue and yellow turn and I am loving it. This is the last day of summer for us, so we are headed to the pool for one last day of fun in the sun!

Another Potato Sack Lamp Makeover

2011-07-02T12:25:00.001-07:00

I bought these potato sacks at the Country Living Fair last year. I love the other lampshade I made using one of these potato sacks (you can check out that post here), so I decided to make another one. This time I used the burlap and blue one that says "Grow with P & E Seed Potatoes.

I forgot to take a before picture, but I found this lamp at a garage sale for $6 including the drum shade. The lamp was pink and I spray painted it a color called "Bright Idea." I then laid the shade out on the potato sack and cut it to size adding about 2 inches to fold under at the top and bottom. I used spray adhesive to glue the sack to the shade then I hot glued the edges around on the inside of the shade.

The lamp sits in my sunroom on top of the metal table I also got at the Country Living Fair (you can read about that makeover here). Everyone asks me what P & E stands for. I have no idea, I just love using repurposed items. It adds character to a home, saves money, and is better for the environment.

Hope you are enjoying your 4th of July weekend!

I am linking up to:

Our June in Pictures

2011-07-01T09:22:00.001-07:00

I have been a little behind on my blogging lately, so I am just doing some snippets of what we have been up to in June. The month started out with my hubby having knee surgery. We have enjoyed having him home, but have been sticking close by until he can get out and do more.

We worked on an old lady's yard because her view was covered by brush and trees. She lives across the street. Here is the BEFORE.

Here it is AFTER! This is after many hours of work and sweat thanks to a big group of guys at our church. She is so happy with the result and her new view!

Hubby celebrated his birthday and the kids helped me make him a cake.

We brought him his meal and his cake to him on the couch. Happy Birthday Honey!

Makenna and her cousins sold some lemonade on a few hot days!

I had a birthday and turned 35. We celebrated at my mom's house and I chose Key Lime Pie...my favorite!Me and my favorite hubby :) This was his first time out since his surgery.

Got to celebrate again with my sister and my mom at my favorite mexican restaurant. It is a new one close to our house and it has outside seating, another favorite of mine! I only sit out there when hubs is not with me. He doesn't do "hot" while he eats.

Got to celebrate again with my friends, Amy and Amber, at a yummy bistro and got to eat outside again. I have great friends! I don't usually have this many birthday celebrations, but I loved it!

We had a few summer storms which prompted Makenna to move to Bryce's bed one night. I had to get a picture when I saw this. She usually comes to get in our bed. The picture looks like it is daylight, but it's really dark. They do love each other even though it doesn't seem like it some days!

Grandma Patty came to visit from New York. Bryce talked her into buying him the biggest nerf water gun ever.

The kids loved having her here!

Had a girly slumber party with cousins complete with "Shirley Temples" (Sprite, grenadine, and cherries). I loved that fancy drink as a kid!

Bryce went to a basketball camp and worked on his "skills". He is really improving!

We had lots of lazy days at the pool...

Silly boys sporting their highwater shorts!

Lots of pretend food was prepared for us.

Oh, and I finally found a living room rug at Home Goods on Clearance. I love it!

My first choice was a sisal/sea grass rug but this one is softer and more family friendly so I went with this one after taking a family vote. I am so enjoying these schedule free summer days. Can't wait to see what July has in store! Happy Summer!

Some Blue Hydrangeas and a 50th Anniversary Reception

2011-06-23T01:45:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, I had the priviledge of doing the decorations for a 50th Anniversary Reception. It was for my friend and mentor and she pretty much let me have free reign with my ideas. I love when people say that! Since the blue hydrangeas were in full bloom, I decided to use them. A sweet friend and my sister in my neighborhood let me explore their yards and cut the best blooms from their hydrangeas. It was so much fun.

I collected them in this bucket and I had to snap a few shots before I got started with the arrangements. I made the tissue paper flowers and the little cute lantern came from Ikea.Aren't they the perfect color of blue?

The picture below is the guest book table. I used a silver tray from the thrift store and painted it with chalkboard paint.

Some friends did the food for the party. It was pretty and yummy! I used a black damask piece of fabric down the center of the food tables. I layed nandina leaves here and there on the tables. They came from my yard and last for a long time without water.

For the drink table, I used some crushed velvet and 3 squares of the same damask fabric. I then laid the extra hydrangea blooms down for color. These were from a 50 year old hydrangea bush and were a little more purple.

I love the way the hydrangeas looked on the cake too.

Each round table had a different black and white runner. I filled a vase with sliced limes and just added some flowers and candles on the mirror. Very simple!

I used hurricanes on some tables with flat glass circles at the bottom in water, topped with reindeer moss and a hydrangea bloom or two.

Here is a different style hurricane with the same arrangement on different fabric.

I even added a few polka dots for fun.

This was the large arrangement on the food table. I used 3 different types of flowers from Publix to fill in between the hydrangeas and some nandina leaves. I filled the bottom with whole limes.

This was on the round table that connected the two food tables. The plate says, "All because two people fell in love."
These cute napkins came from Hobby Lobby.
I had so much fun getting to arrange flowers and use different fabrics. Thanks Gail for letting me be a part of your special day!

Vintage Headboard Sign

2011-06-05T20:13:00.000-07:00

I found an old wood twin bed at a garage sale a few weeks ago. I got it for $5 because a rat had actually chewed on the top of the bed post. I was mainly intrigued by the head and footboard and loved the shape. I knew just what I wanted to do with it! My dad took it apart for me and I sanded it really good with an electric sander. I got most of the stain off, but left some on for added character.

I printed out the name of the hotel that my hubby and I stayed in on our first anniversary. It was the most beautiful place right on the water in Santa Barbara, Ca. It is now closed so I am assuming it might have been destroyed by a hurricane or something. I used transfer paper to put the lettering onto the sign. You can get it at Hobby Lobby.

I then used paint and a small brush to fill in the letters. I usually use a paint pen, but did not have white or blue. It took longer with the brush, but I just used what I had on hand. I love the character of it against the weathered wood.

I added it to my freshly painted walls in the kitchen. I repainted my kitchen, by the way, the same color as the living room (Wool Skein by Sherwin Williams). I started out painting it white, but it was not enough contrast with the trim, so this was round 2. I love it! I will post more pics later. I am loving the coastal touches that I am adding around my home. Makes me feel like I am on vacation!

Linking up to:

No Sew Ruffled Lampshade Tutorial

2011-06-01T14:52:00.000-07:00

This is the burlap ruffled lamp shade I made for this turquoise lamp I spray painted a color called Bahama Sea. I did it the lazy way, but I think it turned out pretty good!
I was inspired by this lampshade on Dear Lillie, but was not in the mood to sew, so I used my favorite tool, the hot glue gun. She does have a tutorial with the "correct" way on her blog if you want to check it out here.

Here is how I did mine:

First I cut about three 6ft. burlap strips about 2 inches wide. Try to keep them as straight as possible, but it does not have to be perfect. You might need more or less burlap depending on the size of your shade.

Warning: If you do this on the floor, your dog might want some attention and get this close to your face.

I used a medium size drum shade from Target and started hot glueing the burlap strips around the shade making the ruffles as I go and glueing them down. I used my fingers to squish the fabric together if it started to get too flat.

If you are lucky, your kids will be playing superheros together very nicely while you are working because it does take some time.

When you are done, there will be some holes where the shade is showing through.

Just put a dot of hot glue there and press the burlap down to cover the holes.

Note: In the other tutorial, she measures the shade first to determine the width of her fabric strips. That it probably a good idea. I did not do that in this case though and somehow it worked out perfectly.

Here is the finished product all lit up. I love the texture it adds to this corner. I am glad to get this look without having to sew. I'd love to hear if you try to make one!

Linking up to:

Makenna's Kindergarten Graduation

2011-05-31T12:50:00.001-07:00

It seems that in the blink of an eye, my little girl went from her first day of Kindergarten...

to Kindergarten graduation so much more grown up! How did that happen?

I so enjoyed the graduation. They sang such sweet songs...

She got her diploma from her teacher, Ms. Kim. When she called Makenna's name, she told us that she wants to be a teacher when she grows up and that her favorite part of Kindergarten was the Math tubs. She wanted to be a dentist last month, but a teacher is a great profession too! :)

There was an ice cream and cake party afterwards. She is surrounded by her proud family.

Makenna just loved her teacher. Ms. Kim gave her the "sweet tart" award for being the sweetest girl in the class. I will miss her teacher. You know when the teacher really loves and cares for the kids? Well, that was Ms. Kim. She even cried when she had to tell them goodbye. I cried too!

They came in after graduation with flowers and sang "You are My Sunshine" to the parents. Then she gave the flower to me. Wasn't I just rocking her before bed singing that song to her? Where does the time go?

Makenna, I am so proud of you and how you tried your very best this year, but most of all I am proud of the way you treated others and how you let Jesus shine out of your life. You always stood beside someone even if everyone else was making fun of her. That girl will never forget that. I so enjoy watching you grow into a young lady and watching the fruit that comes from you having a personal relationship with Christ. You are off to big school next year for 1st grade. I know you are ready and will do great. The only one you have to please is Jesus. Just keep living for Him!

Now, let's go and enjoy our summer girl!

My Summer Mantles

2011-05-26T09:33:00.001-07:00

Here is my "inside" mantle for the summer. It is very simple with a coastal flair.

My all time favorite summer thing is ferns. I put one inside an old crate I picked up at an antique store years ago and put it inside the fireplace.

I added some fern fronds to my blue jars.

I pulled out our shells from last year's beach vacation and put them in my Hemingway Hurricane.

This is a driftwood garland I bought at Home Goods last year on clearance and I just laid it out on the mantle. So that is my no cost, quick, summer mantle. Hope you like it!

Here is my mantle out back. This is my favorite one to decorate!

I used several things I already had and bought these paper lanterns at Target in the Easter clearance aisle. Wave Petunias came from Home Depot, and I bought the Mason Jars at various garage sales. They have a tea light in them. With all the colors going on, I decided to use a white window to hang my sign from. It says, "The earth delights to feel your bare feet." It looks so pretty lit up at night.

Hope you are enjoying summer! Thanks for stopping by.

I am linking up to The Lettered Cottage Summer Mantle Party

My Foyer Reveal

2011-05-17T12:17:00.000-07:00

Remember my foyer "before" when I got a wild hair to take down the chunky chair rail?

We have a very open floor plan with a small foyer so I was wanting to make it look more separate from the rest of the house.

Here is what I came up with. I kept the existing baseboard and added board and batten (i.e. strips of MDF and topped it with a thicker piece of MDF). This involved lots of lots of sheetrock repair from removing the other molding. That took MUCH longer than expected. Isn't that how all projects turn out?
The strips slightly hang over the existing baseboard, but I just did a straight cut and left it that way. Those details do not bother me. Some caulk and semi gloss paint (BJ Moore Moonlight White) and it turned out great!

I also added some mailbox numbers from Home Depot to the coat closet doors. It just adds a touch of whimsy to them. My kids say it looks like a hotel room door. I like that!

I put a "3" on the other side. It gives the appearance that our house goes on farther than it really does like there is another room behind there (it's just a storage closet for all my decor, dishes etc :), but it's fun to dream...

For now, I stacked up my picnic baskets on this side, but I don't know if they are staying there. Ideally, I would have an outlet on this wall, so I could plug in a lamp. Until that happens, I might put a lantern on top of them. They hold puzzles, playdoh, and books for the kids. The top basket is a catch all. I am thinking I might add hooks on this side too. What do you think???

I also painted my wood front door. I used Contented from Sherwin Williams. The lighting is so bad here, that you can't see the color very well. It really lighted up this area.

I added some dark walnut stain to it to make it look more weathered.

Of course, one project leads to another around here. I am wanting to paint the walls in the foyer the same color as the living room. It is called Wool Skein by Sherwin Williams. It is a very tall space, so I have been putting it off. Maybe this summer??

Thanks for stopping by! Enjoy your day!

Linking up to Transformation Thursday at Shabby Chic Cottage

A Flower for the Teacher

2011-05-05T06:58:00.001-07:00

Today, I made flower pins for the teachers. I used this tutorial. The flower is made out of felt so it only cost me about 25 cents. You just have to buy the pins which you can get at Hobby Lobby. That is also where I bought the felt. I used card stock and glued scrapbook paper to it, then I printed out a note and glued it on. It was still wet here so I see some wrinkles, but I pressed those out.
I am loving these flowers on headbands, clothes, bags, pillows, scarves, necklaces, lampshades, etc. I wrote some of these ideas on the back for the teacher.
Hope these gift ideas are giving you some inspiration!
Have a great sunny day!

Teacher Appreciation Week- a sweet gift idea

2011-05-04T06:43:00.000-07:00

This is what my kids brought to their teachers today. I used a wide mouth jar I already had and put chocolate covered strawberries inside. I added some coconut to some of them too. I made the tag out of scrapbook paper and printed out the note: "It is such a treat to have you as my teacher."

I did not have the lid to the jar, so I cut a square of fabric with pinking shears and tied some yarn around it to hold it on. Then I added the ribbon and gift tag.

I used this chocolate candy coating from the grocery store to coat the strawberries. You can melt it in the microwave and dip the strawberries in it. It makes a hard shell when it dries. It also comes in white chocolate.

I would love to hear if you try this idea for your kids' teachers!

Hope you are having a great week!

Teacher Appreciation Week- gift idea

2011-05-03T06:37:00.001-07:00

I love Teacher Appreciation Week (if I plan ahead). I enjoy coming up with things to make my kid's teachers feel special and appreciated. I can't say I planned too much ahead, but I am having fun with it. Most of us have a terra cotta pot laying around the garage that is not being used. If you don't have one, then Home Depot sells them for a few dollars. I painted this one with chalkboard paint or you can spray it (they sell this at Home Depot too). I did two coats to cover it good. Let it dry for a few hours. I picked up some pink impatiens and planted them in the pot then wrote on the pot with chalk. It says: "Thank you for being so patient with me." (it goes with the impatiens theme :)

Then the kids signed the other side of the pot. I would have loved this when I was a teacher. They can erase the note later and write something else. It was "blue" theme day in my son's class, so I stuck a blue bird peep (from Easter) on a wood skewer and put it in the pot. It turned out really cute!

Busy Enjoying Spring...

2011-04-28T18:33:00.001-07:00

I guess I have been taking an unplanned blogging break. I have been busy enjoying spring and all that it has to offer. Along with all the flowers and sunshine comes a busier season at school with fun activities and end of the year "stuff". I can't believe that there are only 3 weeks of school left!

I am including lots of pictures of some things we did on spring break, Easter, and just some everyday fun. We have been up to...

Playing one of the Three Little Pigs in the school play. Wish I could include a video. It was priceless!

Hanging out with the apes at the zoo.

Being completely amazed at the giraffes!

Petting some goats and sheep with a special hand brush. (I guess this is supposed to be more sanitary???)

Monkeying around a little.

Growling like a lion.... Brayden was most excited to see the lions out of all the animals at the zoo.

Decided to join in on some silliness and monkeyed around myself.

Found a tire in someone's trash and washed it up for a new tire swing.

Now daddy is monkeying in the tree putting up the tire swing.

It works! Can't decide who likes it the most...me or the kids. Brayden loves for grandma to push him.

More tree climbing...what is it with this family and trees?

We baked some Hummingbird Nests. The recipe is from Family Fun. I love that website!

Had an adorable Easter party at school. Did I mention that I love kindergarten?

Went to a egg hunt in the neighborhood. There were 1800 eggs hidden!

We tried our skills at the 3-legged race. I secretly am so competitive in this game!

A spring party is not complete without a potato sack race. I wanted to take some of these sacks home, but they did not offer any to me even after I talked about how cool they were. Bummer!

Makenna made some bunny and Easter basket cupcakes. The recipe came from Family Fun again. They do have coconut on them which is so yummy to me, but not everyone likes it. I found that out when everyone was asking for a plain one!

My sweet angels on Easter. I was so excited that Brayden smiled this year for pictures! He hid behind the tree for most of the other pictures though.

I know she won't always want to match me, so I am eating it up while I can...

The annual family egg hunt was in our yard this year. We like to keep it interesting by hiding them in unexpected places.

I just love that the kids have their cousins so close. They are like my own kids too. They have such fun together! We enjoyed celebrating that our Savior is risen. How exciting to know that he is preparing a place for me (and you) in heaven. Each year I grow older, I am more amazed at God's love for me!

Meanwhile, I got a wild hair to rip this molding off the wall in the foyer. More on that to come...let me just say that sheetrock repair is not my gift!

Thanks for checking out what we have been up to. Can't promise my posts will be too regular until summer gets here. I can't wait to show you my foyer transformation though.

You Have to See This Room!

2011-04-04T12:06:00.000-07:00

I know many of you read Lettered Cottage, but just in case you did not make it over there today, you have to check out their Reading Room redo. It already was such a cute room and now it is over the top, oozing with character. They used an old gym floor to cover the back wall and I just love the mix of the warm wood with all the white. Her unique style has given me so much inspiration. This one needs to be in a magazine for sure! Here is the post with all the details.

Happy Monday!

A Few Mirror Finds and a Mirror Dilemma

2011-03-29T13:28:00.000-07:00

I am slowly adding accessories in our bathroom as I find things and when the mood strikes me. When I saw this mirror outside one of my favorite antique stores, I knew the perfect place for it. It looks right at home here above the bathtub. It was already white and distressed, although, there is maybe a little too much distressing on the right side. I might have to fix that when I get around to it.

Even my hubby said that it was the perfect fit on that wall. It only took me 1 1/2 years to find it!

I needed a full length mirror in here and found this one at Goodwill. I painted it white and distressed it a little then hung it behind the door. Now I can check out my shoes and outfit at the same time without having to stand on the bathtub!

Now, here is the dilemma...do you see anything missing? No, not the top knobs on the left vanity silly, we still only have one mirror because my hubby does not like the one I have and doesn't want to buy another one. If the mirror rests on the wall, then you can't see your head. I put a block of wood behind it, but it would be best if the mirror was straight up and down. We can't get it to stay that way though.

I think this is the first time I have showed you my vanities. I found a guy on Craigslist who is a cabinet maker and I sent him a Pottery Barn picture of the style I wanted. He built them from the picture for a great price! We used a granite remnant from their "boneyard" and it's called Black Galaxy. I love the sparkles in it. He gave them to me unfinished and I painted them the same white as the trim and board and batten in the bathroom. It's a custom color I had mixed at Home Depot and it is the perfect soft white.

I chose classic polished chrome faucets. You can see some sparkles here in the granite. I got these baskets from Pottery Barn to go underneath and hold extra lotion, soap, and towels.

I used the enamel numbers I got at the Country Living Fair on the baskets. The '95 is for the year we got married.

So, now to decide what to do about the mirror. Do I sell this one and start over or buy another one of these from Home Depot and try to make it work. Any thoughts???

It's Feelin' Like Spring

2011-03-17T18:03:00.001-07:00

Cherry blossoms are my favorite.

It's just not spring without some bunnies and birds.

This color green makes me happy!

Loving this color combo

So proud of these two for a great cheerleading and basketball season. This was on the awards day. We are now "sports free" and enjoying some fun time outside.

Hope you are enjoying Spring too!

A Fresh Take on Board and Batten

2011-03-16T13:56:00.000-07:00

I am loving my new floors! Here is a daylight picture of them like I promised. I didn't take a bigger picture because honestly, I haven't gotten my house all back in order yet. It has been a slow process!

Here is the living room with hardwood instead of carpet. I love it, just need a big cozy rug! This project has led to other projects, of course. It's always that way isn't it? While the furniture was out of the dining room, I decided to repaint it and add some molding to the lower part of the walls.

Here is what it looked like before. This was at Thanksgiving. Sorry for the dark picture.

This is the new paint color. It is called Oyster Bay by Sherwin Williams. It brightened up this room a lot.

I wanted to do board and batten up higher in here, but we are short on time and money, so I kept the existing chair rail and added the molding below it. I decided to do board and batten with a middle horizontal row for something different. I used the lattice strips at Home Depot. They are found in the lumber section near the fencing and sell for 88 cents each. My sweet hubby cut them to size and each middle section is 12 inches long unless there was an outlet. They don't have to be spaced perfectly, just pleasing to the eye. I used liquid nails to glue them up. They are light, so we didn't need nails.

I then caulked all the seams and spaces (this is the longest part, but so important!), then I painted it all with white trim paint in semi gloss. I had to do two coats of paint.

I love how it updated and freshened up the room and it only cost $15 to do not including the paint. I am pleased!

I am linking up to The Shabby Chic Cottage- Transformation Thursday

There is Just Something About a White Kitchen

2011-03-06T18:00:00.000-08:00

Now that our new floors are in, I have been pondering a new paint color for my kitchen. Isn't that how it always works? One thing leads to another...anyway, I find myself drawn to white kitchens. They have such an inviting, calming effect. I love how you can add color when you are in the mood with no real commitment. Here are some of my favorites from blogland. Go and check out their blogs!

Source: Flea Market Trixie

Source: Cote De Texas

Source: Buckets of Burlap

Source: Northwest Hospitality

Source: Jennifer Rizzo

For now, I will dream....Have a great week!

I Chose Dark Floors!

2011-02-28T18:41:00.001-08:00

I finally made a decision about which hardwood floors I wanted and they started on Friday. I am so excited! They took up the carpet in the living room first. It is only 2 yrs. old so we put that carpet in my daughter's room and took out her old carpet. It took me awhile to decide if I wanted hardwood in the Family Room, but I knew it was "now or never" so I took the plunge.
BTW, I repainted this room in a color called Wool Skein by Sherwin Williams. Do you like it? I haven't done the foyer yet...we usually don't have all that furniture in the foyer either.

The kids skated on the concrete floors all weekend and had a blast! They wanted to keep these floors, but mommy had other plans!

Today started the tearing out of the old and damaged wood floors (we had a leak). This was a much louder, messier and dustier process than I first imagined. We had to leave the house or have ringing in the ears for days...

I can't believe how fast they worked. They got all the old out and laid the new floor in one day. It would have taken us at least a week I am sure!

Here is the new floor tonight and I just love it! I will take more pics in the daylight, but the floor is the perfect mix of rustic elegance. It is an engineered wood made by Shaw called Nottaway Hickory and the color is Weathered Saddle. It is handscraped which gives it a wavy look and the price was very reasonable. They have to come back tomorrow and do the shoe molding, so for now we are sleeping with the oven and the couch in our bedroom. More pics to come!

Wanna Save Some Money?

2011-02-24T12:44:00.000-08:00

Make your own Laundry Detergent!
I started doing this about a year and a half ago. This is a real money saver and does not take that much time. It has worked out to be about one batch/bucketfull a year for me and these ingredients make more than one batch. I spent about $6 on the ingredients and this detergent really does clean the clothes just as well! I still buy my fabric softener, but I know you can make that too. Here's how to do it:

Ingredients: I got mine at Target and Publix
4 Cups - hot tap water

1 Fels-Naptha soap bar

1 Cup - Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda

*½ Cup Borax

- Grate bar of soap and add to saucepan with water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.

(I know it looks like I have two big toes, but I was standing on my foot, I guess. )

-Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and Borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.

-Stir and fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser half full with soap and then fill rest of way with water. Shake before each use. (will gel)

-Optional: You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per 2 gallons. Add once soap has cooled. Ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil. (You can get this at the Vitamin store or Hobby Lobby) I add this to mine to make it smell good.

-Yield: Liquid soap recipe makes 10 gallons.

-Top Load Machine- 5/8 Cup per load (Approx. 180 loads)

-Front Load Machines- ¼ Cup per load (Approx. 640 loads)

*Arm & Hammer "Super Washing Soda" - in some stores or may be purchased online here (at Meijer.com). Baking Soda will not work, nor will Arm & Hammer Detergent - It must be sodium carbonate!!

Source: Duggar Family Website

Would love to know if you try it and what you think!

Thrift Store lamp + old potato sack = Chic Lamp Makeover

2011-02-16T14:27:00.000-08:00

One of the items on my "New Years to-do list" (we all have those right? even if we don't write them down) was to work on getting some new lamps. I am a bargain shopper and lamps are not cheap! I went to Goodwill, the lamp graveyard, and found this brass one for less than $5.

I had a white drum shade from Target and I covered it with one of these potato sacks I bought at the Country Living Fair for $5. I just cut it a little larger than the shade and folded the sides under and hot glued it on.

I painted the lamp a Metallic Bronze and added some ruffle trim to it from Hobby Lobby (also hot glued on). And I have a new lamp for under $20 including the drum shade. I might go back and paint the lamp using a looking glass spray paint once I get some to lighten the look a little, but I'm still deciding.

For now, I am quite pleased!

Here she is at night.

Linking up to Transformation Thursday at Shabby Chic Cottage

Today I am Loving Stripes

2011-02-15T15:06:00.000-08:00

The Lettered Cottage

I'm sure many of you have seen this reading room. I love the soft stripes.

Country Living

I just saw this picture today in the March Country Living and I fell in love! What bold stripes and that turquiose chandelier is to die for! Could I live with these black and white stripes everyday? Hmmm, not sure.

Three Men and a Lady
I recently discovered this blog and her foyer is so fun and unexpected. Mine is a lot smaller, but maybe this is what it needs for some punch.

The Nester

Here are some striped curtains instead of going all out with the paint. This is another option and would save a lot of time for sure.

I am thinking I need some stripes in my dining room or foyer. Both of these rooms have been needing something special. More to come once I decide...

Happy Valentine's Day

2011-02-14T12:59:00.001-08:00

Our Day started with some yummy chocolate chip waffles for the kids and some valentine treats.

Then off to a Valentine party at school. We brought heart shaped peanut butter and syrup sandwiches.

I am secretly hoping for some of these later...You can keep the roses, just bring me some potted tulips that I can enjoy for a few weeks and then plant them in my yard. Hope your sweetie brings you your favorite flower today and they make you smile!

Linking up to Blessed Little Nest Life Made Lovely Monday.

Writing on the Wall...the good kind

2011-01-27T18:09:00.000-08:00

Rarely do my hubby and I get to sneak away just the two of us to a luxurious hotel for the night, so I wanted to give our bedroom and bathroom that feeling of a peaceful retreat. One night, way after bedtime, I decided to add a little hotel character using my black paint pen.

Sorry for the blurry picture....need to work on my skills. Anyway, I printed out the words "his" and "hers" in a script font that I liked and the size I wanted. Then I used transfer paper from Hobby Lobby to trace the words onto the wall using my pencil. When you pick up the paper, the outline is there on the wall. I just used a black paint pen to fill in the words.

It takes a little time, but I love using transfer paper. I am not good at freehand and I am too impatient to make stencils. If you don't have any, head over to Hobby Lobby with your coupon and pick some up. You can reuse it over and over too, so it lasts forever!

Linking up to Life Made Lovely Monday at Blessed Little Nest

Lazy Days of January and some Fabric Flower Pins

2011-01-25T11:31:00.000-08:00

Wow! Someone actually asked me to update! It is good to know that someone reads my little blog. Comments make my day, by the way, so if you stop by, I'd love to hear from you! It has been a lazy January and I've been a lazy blogger. The kids had almost a month off of school with Christmas break and a week long snow break.

We had so much snow that we even had to shovel our sidewalk. Crazy for our area! That, my friends, is the southerners version of the snow shovel. It worked though, and it kept my son busy for quite some time...

We have baked and baked around here...not good for the diet, but the kids enjoyed decorating some cut out cookies.

Then they put them in their "candy shop" and sold them to their cousins and little brother. I love their imagination. They totally kept themselves busy while we were stuck in the house. They did not say, "Mom, I'm bored" even once. It was kind of nice!

Here is their little store. They found my fabric scraps to jazz it up a little.

Snow days are great for hour long afternoon baths too!

I have been working on a few projects. I have been dying to buy one of these fabric flower pins off etsy, but did not have the money, so I used this tutorial and used some felt I had. They were so easy and only cost me 25 cents for the piece of felt.

You can pin them on anything really....a sweater, headband, lampshade, pillow, scarf...They add just a pop of color and interest. I am going to make one out of canvas next.

Makenna has been wanting to wear hers every day, so I am going to buy some stretchy headbands and make some more colors for her to wear.

Brayden even likes wearing it around the house.

Some other happenings around here are...we are replacing our hardwoods because of a water leak and I am trying to decide whether to go light or dark. I love the look of the dark, but don't know if I can commit to it long term. Any thoughts??? I am also repainting our living room. I just took the pictures off the wall and really don't feel like painting it, but right now the walls are 3 different colors, so I guess I have no choice. Off to do lots of painting!

Merry Christmas from our Home to yours!

2010-12-25T20:08:00.001-08:00

This is our annual trip to visit Santa in front of the tallest Christmas tree I have ever seen.

A rare pic of just me and my handsome hubby.

I got to be in the Santa picture this year. Brayden did not want to get too close, but wanted to say hello. Makenna asked Santa to bring me a purse this year since mine broke at Target a while back....so sweet of her! He brought me one and I LOVE it! I'll share a picture later...

There is nothing better than excited kids in their Christmas P.J.'s on Christmas morning!

We got an extra special surprise this year...a WHITE Christmas! It is beautiful outside! We don't see these things in my neck of the woods. Supposedly this is the first Christmas snow with accumulation since the 1890's. So cool!

Makenna even brought baby Frosty to life.

This one word describes our Christmas day. It is such a blessing to celebrate the birth of my Savior, Jesus Christ, with my family. I feel blessed beyond measure by the grace He pours out on my life daily. Merry Christmas!

Fleece Scarf Tutorial - need a last minute gift?

2010-12-23T07:29:00.000-08:00

First of all, I am terrible at tutorials and this one is no different! I don't plan very well when taking the pics...

Step One: You will need two different colors of fleece (1/4 yd. of each) Joann's has a great selection of fleece. Hobby Lobby also carries it. (Ignore the cuts in the fleece. I did not get a before picture.)

Step Two: You will then lay the two pieces on top of each other wrong sides together and sew a zig zig stitch directly down the center of the fleece long ways. (Yes, this picture is of a different scarf- I told you I was bad at this :)Your stitch will look like this down the center.

Step three: You will then lay out the scarf and cut slits to make the tassels on each side. The slits should be about 3/4 inch wide and 3-4 inches long. You do this all the way down both sides of the scarf.

Step four: Give it to a cute girl in your life and it will keep her toasty warm this winter. Just a few things I learned... I made the tassels a little thinner on the others and I like it better that way, so maybe cut 1/2 inch wide slits if you want to. Also, the thinner the fleece, the better the scarf hangs and feels. This project cost me $2.60 per scarf because the fleece was 50% off. My daughter loves hers and gets lots of compliments on it.

Happy sewing! I would love to see yours if you make one!

Linking up to Momnivore's Creative Juice Thursday's

4 More Days!

2010-12-20T19:22:00.000-08:00

Still lots of baking, crafting, and wrapping to do! Ready or not...

Personalized gift tags

2010-12-08T13:34:00.001-08:00

I wanted our Christmas gifts to be extra special this year, so me and the kids have been making gift tags with the specific name of who it's for. We just have been stamping the name on the tag, and adding a picture stamp or two.

Here is what you will need. I bought large shipping labels from Staples and soaked them in coffee to age them a bit. One batch I did not soak long enough so they are lighter. Then you will need some alphabet stamps, ink pads, and decorative stamps of your choice. I get most of my stamping stuff from Hobby Lobby and Michaels. Even Target has $1 stamps in their dollar section sometimes.

Just get creative and stamp the name and then add whatever stamps you have room for. You can write who it's from on the back.

You can change out the natural twine that comes on the tag and add a small colorful ribbon and tie it to the gift that way. This is fun and easy and makes the gift extra special. The kids love to help with this too. You don't have to use shipping labels. You can even cut out your own from card stock. This is just my easy, simple way. I would love to see what you come up with, so send me your creations! Have fun with it!

I am linking up to Kate's Christmas craft linky party and Creative Juice Thursdays.

A Christmas Vignette on a shelf

2010-12-08T08:24:00.000-08:00

I added some Christmas cheer in my dining room on the shelf I made from a bifold door a few years ago.

I used what I already had up there, but switched a few things around and added some more tree clippings, burlap garland from Michaels (that stuff is hard to find right now!), and some snowflake ornaments and balls.

My rusty "peace" sign is hung on my mirror with care...I have been collecting some milk glass lately. I love it with some simple greenery stuck in it. "Easy" is my decorating theme this year (and cheap).

These snowflakes are glittered, but it's hard to see in the picture.

I am hoping this might work through winter so I can enjoy it longer! Hope you are having a good week and checking lots of things off your list!

I am linking up (late) to Rhoda's Christmas Vignette party.

My Nature-Inspired Christmas Mantle

2010-12-01T16:39:00.000-08:00

Tis the season for filling the house with the scents of the pine and evergreens! It is one of my favorite parts of Christmas. I spent no money this year on my mantle. Just used some Christmas balls and sparkly pine cones that I had bought on clearance last year after Christmas. Here is the finished product minus the stockings that I am still working on...

I used wooden white candlesticks that I have collected here and there and some big, shiny ornament balls. Then I filled in with Christmas tree clippings. I picked a few bundles up from the local tree farm for free.

I wrapped candles in vintage sheet music tied with twine.

I filled some big mason jars with snow, pine cones, a crocheted snowflake, and a book page bird. I used the jar as another candleholder too.

I love sheet music! So pretty on anything!

Here it is all lit up at night. So magical! I love being home at night at Christmastime.

I painted the mirror that was in my bedroom with metallic spray paint. I have a new one that needs painting in the garage for my bedroom now. Another project for another day... I made this wreath last year and got the reindeer at Target. I tied cinnamon sticks onto it with fabric.

I love how it turned out and it makes me in the mood to have a Christmas party. I am loving seeing all the mantles over at Layla's party, so I am linking up too!

http://theletteredcottage.net/holiday-home-linky-party-our-christmas-mantel

Thanksgiving around our house

2010-11-29T19:56:00.000-08:00

My harvest table set for the family.

It was simple, but festive.

My sweet girl, who loves to decorate, did the place cards for me. I just love that she has an eye for making things pretty!

Each person had a special place at the table.
Bryce had been talking about eating the turkey leg and he finally got it (I think it makes him feel like a tough guy and he actually does look like one).

We also celebrated my dad's birthday. I made the sweet potato pie off the cover of the November Southern Living magazine and put a candle in it. It was good, but I still like my mom's pumpkin pie the best! Happy Birthday Dad! He is a special man. I think he's a keeper.

The kids enjoyed lots of jumping in the leaves.

Bryce finally lost that top front tooth. He's still so handsome without it. It was a day full of things to be thankful for and a week of rest and fun times together at home. Now off to do some Christmas decorating!

Looking for some Unique Christmas Gifts?

2010-11-14T12:14:00.000-08:00

I am so excited about the Christmas gifts that I bought from my friend, Erin! She is a talented, creative girl with such an eye for fabric combinations and she has such a cute business card, don't you think?

I got this bag for my daughter, Makenna. It will hold coloring books/spiral notebooks and a pack of crayons or twistables. This is going to be her new church bag. A girl can't have too many bags, right? (Yes, I put up one of my Christmas trees yesterday...I am spreading it out so I can enjoy decorating this year.)

I also got this ADORABLE doll quilt and pillow for Makenna also. It even has a strip of fabrics on the back. Love it and plan to pass this one down to the grandkids as well!

I bought a crayon roll for Brayden. I will get a new pack of crayons to put in it and a coloring book. The crayons go all the way across, but I just didn't take the time to do it.

It rolls up like this and travels easily in my purse. LOVE this fabric too! Go check out her site. She has such great baby gifts too! Let me know what you find!

A Fun Halloween and Some New Ikea Chairs

2010-11-03T15:25:00.000-07:00

The Friday before Halloween, the kids had PJ day at school, and Makenna has been begging me to do another tea party. So we planned a Halloween tea party, picked out some fun recipes, and had it prepared when the older kids came home from school (the two older girls are my neices).

We used my favorite red teapot and cups from Southern Living at HOME and an antique quilt top that I got from my neighbor for the tablecloth. I love the bright colors in it.

We made scarecrow cupcakes, boo-nanas, and monster teeth. We found these recipes on http://www.familyfun.com/. Makenna had fun picking out the menu. I made sure the food was simple and did not require many ingredients. Grocery store trips are not my favorite!

On Halloween night, Makenna dressed up like a cupcake fairy. We did some hot pink stripes in her hair with pink hair spray and I painted some cupcakes on her cheeks.

Here they are ready to go. Bryce was a ninja and Brayden was a puppy. Brayden wasn't so sure about his hood.

We met up with their cousins along the way and a neighbor boy tagged along with us this year too.

Brayden was pretty excited about getting all that candy. He loved trick or treating! He kept up with the other kids surprisingly. We had a fun night and ended up with tons of chocolate. That is my weakness, so mommy has been stealing WAY too many candy bars from the kid's buckets!

Here are my new Ikea chairs that I showed you a glimpse of before. I made enough money at the barn sale last month to get these and a new sisal rug for my sunroom. I have always loved these Erktop chairs and they are actually very comfortable and affordable. The one on the left is not crooked even though it looks like it in the picture. My hubby had to put them together, but that's the price you (I mean "he") pays for saving some money, right? The white slipcovers were only $30 each and they are washable which is a must in our house!

This is my cozy little spot where I love to sit in the morning and have coffee and read before everyone else is up. Mornings like this are few lately, but I cherish the ones I get.

Hope you are having a good week and can sneak a few moments of quiet and rest amongst the busyness of your day. Is anyone else stressing about Christmas shopping yet? I am!

Metal table makeover

2010-11-02T08:03:00.000-07:00

Before Here is this little metal typewriter table that I found at the Country Living Fair.

After

Here she is after some Bahama Sea spraypaint.

I rubbed on some walnut gel stain to age her a bit.

She now lives in my sunroom between my new white Ikea chairs. I will share more about those later. This table and that color make me smile! I think I will keep her...

My Finds at the Country Living Fair

2010-10-28T11:55:00.000-07:00

I got this awesome old rusty gate there and right now it's sitting on my outdoor mantle. I am going to add a wreath or sign to it, but haven't decided yet.... The other idea I had for it is to mount it between two wood posts in the backyard somewhere and plant some flowers around it and make it a "secret garden" gate. I love this "gate to nowhere" look. We will see where it ends up, but I love it!

I also snagged this old metal typewriter table. I have been looking for a cute metal table like this one for awhile now, and was so excited when I spotted this one. I will paint her a pretty shade of blue and she will live in my sunroom. "After" pics to come...

I picked up a few more blue jars because I love them and this bird ornament made out of beadboard. I also got these enamel numbers to go on the jars or on some baskets in my bathroom. The 95 is for the year we got married and the 73 is when my hubby was born.

I just love me some feedsacks! I picked up two of these burlap potato sacks. I will make some pillows out of these mixed with some softer fabrics. I don't know if I will keep the pillows or sell them. We will see how they turn out.

And that broke my Country Living Fair budget, but I picked up so many ideas at no charge and my wheels are still spinning...

Now off to paint that table!

Country Living Fair Inspiration

2010-10-24T20:26:00.000-07:00

I was so inspired at the Country Living Fair on Friday. The day started with getting to meet Sue Whitney, one of the junk market ladies. She was so nice and is the editor of Country Gardens magazine now. I must start getting that one. I love her style!

She did a demonstration on setting a harvest table "junk market style". This is her table that she was working on.

The booths were amazing and filled with inspiration. Sit back and enjoy some of them...

I am loving this cool, unique lighting!

These chairs sold for around $1200 and were flying out of this booth. No, I did not get one.

It was such a fun day and I hope they come back to the South next year. I will show you my finds later. I am so excited about them! Happy Monday.

I am linking up to Life Made Lovely Monday at Blessed Little Nest. Go over and check out all the other lovely inspiration!

A budget staircase makeover

2010-10-21T06:45:00.000-07:00

This is not the budget staircase I am referring to; this is an inspriation picture of what I would like my stairs to look like. I love painted wood stairs and I love the look of a runner. The runner would also add a little padding for kid's falls every now and then. I want to add some board and batten to the wall though and then hang my kids artwork going all the way up the stairs. This is the 5 year plan...

This is the plan for now. There is no time or money for the stair makover project right now, so I disguised my staircase with a $19.95 wood screen door from Home Depot (I got it for $15 because it was a little damaged). I then painted it black and added a crystal knob from Hobby Lobby. This "quick fix" has worked so well!

The carpet on these stairs needs changed, the walls need painted, and there are constantly piles of toys/clothes etc. that kids are supposed to take up with them (but they rarely do). Now that the door is on, I get to enjoy the look and sound of the slamming screen door and forget about that ugly staircase. Someday I will get to have my wood stairs, but for now, I'm loving my new screen door! I might never take it down!

The inspiration for the screen door came from Layla at The Lettered Cottage. I love how they used an old screen door in their dining room. It adds so much character.

Some Simple Fall Touches

2010-10-19T08:22:00.000-07:00

I told you that I have not had much luck finding any white pumpkins this year, but I did pick up a few green ones, and quite a few orange ones (those are everywhere!) and grouped them outside in front of my black cart with some bright yellow mums.

The kids added faces to theirs.

Have you seen those lighted grapevine pumpkins at Pottery Barn? I just love them! I was lucky enough to snag this one at a garage sale this summer for $2. It is so pretty and sparkly at night.

I painted a thrift store silver tray with chalkboard paint and added a halloween "eek!" I like to use things that I don't have to pack away after fall is over. My goal this year was to simplify. I am still changing and decorating my house in general since we have been here for just 2 years. I didn't want to create much more work for myself by having to pack and unpack a lot more stuff, so I pared down and kept it simple. Having 3 kids with different schedules has also inspired simplicity!

My simple, orange-free fall mantle. Oh yeah, I painted my bricks white this summer and painted my mantle "Contented" by Sherwin Williams. I like how it lightened up the space and added a little color. It took lots of color testing to come to this mantle color. I might add a glaze to it. We will see...

I love me some crows!

The spider is a vinyl decal and is easy to remove.

I found this wood crate at a garage sale for $2, so I filled it with pumpkins (wish they were white), pine cones, indian corn, a few leaves, and put some blue glass jars in the center. I lined the bottom with burlap. This is my simple dining room centerpiece that will last through Thanksgiving. I am hosting Thanksgiving dinner this year, so I have a jumpstart on the table decorating...

Fall goodness...

I did not sell my tiered stand at the barn sale last month, so I added some fall berries, and glittery pumpkins and gourds to it in my kitchen. My friend Elise and I made the book page bird using this tutorial. They are intended for Christmas use and the link is to a book page ornament (so cute!), but I use mine all year round.

Hope I inspired you to keep it simple and relax this fall! Happy Decorating!

Enjoying Fall

2010-10-17T13:26:00.000-07:00

I haven't blogged in awhile, so I thought I would do one post (it's a long one) to show you what I've been up to. Our fall always starts with this little guy's birthday. He turned 2 on Sept. 30th. Happy Birthday Brayden!

He loves Bob the Builder so I made him this cake. I got the idea from my favorite cake website, http://www.coolest-birthday-cakes.com/ . This was a pretty easy one to make.

The gifts consisted of a lawn mower, weed eater, tool set, and some guns. He is the third child, so he has to keep up with his big brother and sister. I would never have bought my first son a gun for his second birthday. Things change people!

Brayden is our most spirited child, and most strong willed, but he adds so much fun and joy to our family. He is really starting to talk and even say sentences like, "Bryce pushed me" and "I love you mommy". It is fun to hear his new words and little ideas. He really makes himself known in our family. He does have a case of the terrible two's already, but is also such a sweet kid, that he melts my heart daily. You are special Brayden and I love you very much! You will go far in life!

He loves his Grandma and Grandpa. He actually would rather be at their house than our's most days. He calls them "paw paw" and "ge ma". I am very thankful that they are in his life!

I did my first sprint triathlon Oct. 3rd. The race consisted of a 1/4 mile swim, 13 mile bike, and 3 mile run. I did it with a few of my favorite girls. Here is my sister and I before the swim.

She was my toughest trainer preparing for this!

My good friend and training partner, Amy talked me into doing the tri. I was not really a strong swimmer or biker before this. We meet early two mornings a week to run or bike. We have some great girl talk while we run. As you can imagine, it was COLD that morning on the beach! Finishing up the bike ride...Finishing the run....almost there!

Our families came out to support us which made it so much more fun. Our hubbys had to have the kids up and out the door by 6:30 to make it in time. Very impressive guys! It meant a lot that they were there. I look forward to doing another one. It was so much fun!
We have enjoyed some time outside using Brayden's new finger paints.

The other two love it just as much.

We've made a few trips to the pumpkin patch, but not as a family yet... I have discovered that white pumpkins are hard to find in the south and those are my favorite.

We have become friends with a horse that lives near us and have been bringing him snacks of apples and carrots. Brayden asks to feed him just about every day. Bryce stepped in an ant bed this day and had to lose his shoe.

Makenna took her first school field trip to the pumpkin patch. I actually learned a lot about growing pumpkins too. I might try planting some this summer and see what happens...

We just returned from a camping trip too. We had some good laughs around the fire and ate lots of smores, one of my favorite things about fall!

Played some games...

Drank lots of hot cider and hot chocolate...

Played on the rocks by the lake for hours...

And did some hiking through the woods... Lots of memories were made that I will never forget and hopefully the kid's won't either. Some highlights of our trip were:

*hubby having to "borrow" someone's canoe without asking to rescue a ball from the lake

*Brayden using his hiking stick as a horse and laying down during the hike, saying "horsey nap"

*Makenna holding my hand while we were hiking and saying, "I love camping"

*Laying on a big rock in the sun reading a book for a few hours while the older kids played together.

*sitting around the fire cooking hot dogs, warming our hands, and talking at night about granddaddy long legs and whatever else came to mind.

I have been doing some fall decorating too, although I kept it simple this year. I will share what I have been working on very soon.

Happy Fall to you!

Our Barn Sale was a Success!

2010-09-26T13:47:00.000-07:00

Our sale was a blast and we sold a bunch of stuff! After it was over, I realized that I didn't get any pictures of the set-up right before we opened. It looked so full and pretty! These are the pictures I took the day before so there we lots of goodies that are missing. It got busy even before we opened so I did not get a chance to take any more pics.

This is a flour sack towel pillow I made backed with red ticking.

The blue chairs were not for sale, but everything else was. I made the ruffled burlap pillows. This spot looked so cute once we got it all done.

I am thinking of opening an etsy shop and might start with a giveaway of this pillow... still thinking....

Elise brought over her adorable vintage baby bed setee. Wish I had a spot for it!

This is the headboard bench my dad and I made. I used this tutorial and it sold for full price! I also made the blue ticking pillows.

Some dessert pedestals I made on a sweet vintage table.

This one was made from tag sale dishes and glasses. I love how it turned out.

Some burlap "art" with an awesome frame.

This was Elise's cool vintage hutch that sold. I wanted this one too. She made the "boo" garland and it just fits perfectly here.

A cool, green king-size headboard. I am thinking another bench....hmmmm.

Some country goodness. Thanks to everyone who came out and supported us. We hope to do it again!

I'm havin' a Barn Sale!

2010-09-20T18:19:00.000-07:00

My friend Elise and I are having a "Vintage Barn Sale" this Friday and Saturday in my backyard. I don't have a barn; I just like the name. We are selling some awesome vintage furniture and decor that we no longer have room for because we both like to shop (a lot)! We also are fixin' up some tag sale finds, making some signs, and pillows, and whatever else we have time to do before then. We should have started preparing much earlier!

I found some cabinet doors and made this sign using this tutorial on one of my favorite blogs,

My Pink Life. Aimee is always very helpful in answering all my crazy questions. Thanks Aimee!

I love how this sign turned out! Hopefully someone will want to take it home.

Here is another one I came up with for a narrow cabinet door. If it doesn't sell, I want this one in my home!

I found this old wooden cutting board at a garage sale and painted and distressed it, then added the letters. I might be sad to see this one leave too!

A few more things that will be for sale is a watering can planter, a vintage collander, and this great orange crocheted throw for fall! I'll share more later. I've got to go sew some pillows!

Celebrating 15 years and a cool souvenier

2010-09-05T12:22:00.000-07:00

This summer my hubby and I celebrated our 15th anniversary in Charelston, SC. I have been wanting to visit here for years so this was a weekend of pure bliss!

This was the few from our room and laying out by the pool with no kids was SO relaxing! We didn't want to leave!

We ate out by the water our first night there. The weather was just perfect! This might have been my favorite meal spot ever.

We are new at this skill of taking pictures of ourselves...

We celebrated my birthday there too at a cool dessert cafe. I had Toll House chocolate chip pie with ice cream. It was so rich and good, I couldn't even eat any dinner!

This was another dreamy dinner spot that I saw. We didn't eat here though.

Sounds crazy, but I just love old graveyards. These graves dated back to the 1700s.

The gates outside the houses were beautiful. This was a house number on the gate inside this climbing vine. The plants there were amazing!

A true Southern porch complete with hydrangeas and spanish moss. Look at that grass too!

We shopped at the market and brought back these pictures. They are architectural photography that look like different letters. I framed them and put them above our robe hooks in the bathroom. I decided to use two different hooks. Now just need two fluffy white robes to hang here.

Here is the "B" in bricks.

And the "A" in a window frame. These were actually the hubby's idea....very impressive. He surprises me sometimes. We had a great time together and I am so blessed to still be in love with my best friend after 15 years.

First Days of School

2010-08-23T20:19:00.001-07:00

I can't believe it's that time again already. We had a fun summer, but it sure did fly by! Bryce started third grade last week and he is doing really well.

Brayden is not going to school, but wanted to be in the picture. First days always make me cry even with a third grader. It makes me realize that he is growing up, but we are so proud of Bryce and the character he has.

One week later (today), Makenna started Kindergarten. I had mixed feelings about sending baby #2 off, but she was so excited, her face was glowing. That helped me to know it was time for her to be a "school kid".

She is wearing her sparkly shoes for the big day.

We made back to school cupcakes for the class. We made them last night and put them in a cupcake carrier on the counter. This morning, the icing had melted and slid off and the buses slid off too. It was a mess! I had to put them in the refrigerator (should have done that last night) then fixed them the best I could. The buses look like they have been traveling for awhile...

The kids liked them though. Lesson learned...put cupcakes in the fridge when it is humid and 90 degrees outside!

Off she goes...

She arrives ready to color her picture. Her classroom is so cute! Makenna, I have so enjoyed your time at home with me! You are such a special girl and a gift from the Lord. I will enjoy watching you grow and learn this year in kindergarten. I know you will shine and do your very best and make some special friends. I pray that as you go out, you will glorify God in all you do and put Him first in your life. I look forward to learning along side of you this year! You will always be my little girl though!

Whew! No more first days for awhile. I don't handle them well...

A $4 chandelier makeover

2010-08-09T06:24:00.000-07:00

Has it really been a month since my last post? Where does the time go???
Here is our dining room when we moved in almost two years ago and this is the light fixture we inherited. I have been waiting to buy a new one and living with the brass one all this time. I hated it! The budget didn't allow for a new one, so I decided to makeover this one.

Here is the new chandy after one can of Krylon Ivory spray paint (Wal-Mart $2.50), and a few sheets of scrapbook paper (Hobby Lobby $1.50) and some Mod Podge. I love it! In case you haven't noticed, I just love lighting and what it does for the feel of a home. I did take the fixture down before painting it, or should I say my hubby took it down and hung it back up for me. Thanks Honey!

I love how it changes the feel of my dining room. And yes, that is a paint test under the chair rail. I thought about painting the bottom a greyish blue, but changed my mind. I would really like to do some board and batten under there. Just need to paint back over that and haven't done it yet.

Here is a close up of the paper I used. It's subtle, but gives it a little character. I distressed it some too, but it is hard to tell...

I was inspired by all things Coastal after our family beach vacation this summer. I used some starfish I bought there and some garage sale plates (brown and white) that I finally found recently, and some blue glass jars to create a centerpiece.

I will be posting some pictures from our trip very soon!

Master bathroom curtains...check!

2010-07-10T14:38:00.000-07:00

I finally finished the curtains for this window behind my tub and I covered the vinyl roller shade and added little ruffle to it. It turned out just how I planned and that does not happen much! This picture is a little blurry though, sorry.

I used a stick from the backyard for the curtain rod and I painted some wooden brackets that I got at a gargage sale for 50 cents to hold the stick. The panels cost me $12.50 and the shade about $25.

I sewed a simple unlined panel then made some skinny ties using the hot glue gun and sewed them to the top/back of the panel. I then just tied them around the stick. I got the fabric on clearance for $4.00/yard and they only had 3 yrds. left, so I cut it in half lengthwise and made "half panels". I didn't want to cover much of the window anyway.

I used spray adhesive to cover the vinyl shade with a lightweight white cotton fabric then I hot glued the ruffle on. The only thing I would do differently is to use fabric glue maybe instead of the spray adhesive because there are still some wrinkles on the shade that have not smoothed out yet.

I added some hooks, a wooden hanging box, and one of my favorite signs. I have realized that you can't have too many hooks in the bathroom.

I got these hooks at Home Depot for $4.00 each and the wooden little crate came from Home Goods. I wish I could find more of them.

I am loving how this room is turning out...more progress to come!

Mom's 60th Birthday

2010-07-10T11:05:00.000-07:00

Our backyard party to celebrate my mom's birthday and Independence Day was a blast!
It started with a yummy meal of traditional burgers, baked beans, watermelon, cottage cheese salad and chips. Nothing too fancy; everyone brought a dish and we ate way too much!
The kid table...

Then we celebrated my mom with her favorite Heath bar ice cream cake. You can find the recipe here. She doesn't look 60, does she?

A silly picture on the newly painted red bike.

Some fancy hairstyling on my sister, Melanie.

Some practice photography. The "mom" on the cup blurred, but I was trying to get it in the background. I am practicing for my future job as a stager/photographer for my favorite magazine. Follow your dreams right???
A few silly faces...

A fun fireworks show put on by "dad".
Lots and lots of sparklers.
The show would not be complete without a ladder rescue of the parachute guy from the top of the tree.

We even did a little dancing to some really fun music...and played my parent's favorite song for them to dance to. ("Through the Years" by Kenny Rogers)Happy Birthday Mom! I am so blessed to have you! What a cute couple you two still make!

My Little Spot out Back- part two

2010-07-02T13:06:00.001-07:00

The weather has been much cooler today, so we all got outside to play I did some more spray painting. Yes, the kids have on their pj's. That is one of the best parts of summer, isn't it?

My vintage bike is now red. The first red I used was way too bright and orangy, so I used the rest of my favorite red (Colonial Red by Rustoleum- American Accents). I ran out before I could get finished, but at least it's red and I like it better than the white. We are celebrating July 4th and my mom's 60th birthday at my house this weekend, so I started decorating for it today too.

I painted my planter white and now I think I need to paint the blue part red or green. That is always how it works, isn't it? This is one of my favorite signs. I love this saying.

I painted my metal lawn chairs blue. It is brighter than I expected, but I like it and this color makes me happy.

Here is the color I used. I got it at Wal-Mart for around $2.57. Great price! I didn't even use 2 whole cans.

I also painted my back door red awhile back. I have always wanted a white house with a red door, so I created that look in the back because my house is brick on the front.

A few more American touches...

Hope you are having a great Friday!

My Little Spot out Back- part one

2010-06-30T10:39:00.000-07:00

Okay, my spray painting yesterday got rained out, so I did not finish, but here is what I have so far. I got this old vintage bike from Craig's List a few years ago and have not done much with it. After reading an idea from Tina at Cherry Hill Cottage, I decided to paint the whole thing white, tires and all. Now I think it's too bright in this spot, so I am going to paint it red I think. I also want to get a wicker bike basket from Wal-Mart and plant some flowers in it. I'll let you know what I decide...

This is the back of my chimney. Elise gave me this idea of using a mantle here. I want to make this feel like an outdoor room, so here is the starting point. I wanted to find an old mantle, but could not find one that would work on a budget. My hubby got this one for me for mother's day and I painted it "ryegrass" from Sherwin Williams. I did 3 coats of outdoor paint and some varnish, so hopefully it will stay protected from the weather.

I used some stuff I already had to decorate it and found this window for $2 at the restore. I just fell in love with the color. I plan to hang something else over it. We will see...

I painted this old step ladder too (I can't remember the name of the color) and used it as a fern stand. I love the weathered paint job on it.

I tucked some impatiens under the fern. They love this shady spot! More pics to come once it stops raining!

My Little Spot out Back but...no camera again!

2010-06-29T11:38:00.000-07:00

I am wanting to show you some projects that I am working on in my backyard and on my patio, but my hubby keeps taking the camera without asking me. Can you believe him??? I even took some pictures this morning, but did not get a chance to download them. Anyway, I have been working on an outdoor mantle and have been spray painting some other things with lots of fun colors. I am loving the Krylon paint colors and the $2.57 price tag on it at Wal-Mart.
As soon as I can get my hands on that camera again, I will share some pictures with you....
Can I just say that I LOVE this summer schedule??? Today has consisted of sprinklers, slides, popsicles, watermelon, and spray painting. What could be better?

Happy Father's Day!

2010-06-20T19:21:00.000-07:00

I feel so blessed today to have a husband who is a better father than I ever imagined he would be. He truly loves his kids and is such an example to them. He doesn't just teach them with words, he shows them with his actions. He spends time with God every morning and I know he covers us in prayer daily. I appreciate his dedication to our family and willingness to provide and provide and provide (poor guy). Thanks honey for all you do! We love you bunches!

He takes the kids on an annual trip to UNC to see a basketball game.

Daddy's little gymnast.
This is my dad; another amazing man in my life who loves Jesus and shows it with his life. I have learned so much from him. The biggest lesson he has taught me is to "enjoy the journey" He wants to enjoy each day and be thankful for it. He doesn't like to worry or plan too far ahead. He taught each of us girls to enjoy sports and be athletic and he still can outrun me at 60. Can you believe it? I love you Dad!

My Sister's Garden Wedding

2010-06-14T10:51:00.000-07:00

My sister, Melanie married her sweetheart in Savannah on May 15th. We were blessed and excited to be a part of the intimate ceremony at the Forsyth Inn Bed and Breakfast. It was a perfect, beautiful day! Here are the kids before the ceremony. My two neices and Makenna were the flower girls and Bryce and Brayden were the ringbearers. (sorry these pics are small. I had to get them off of facebook).

This is Bailey and Alyssa before the ceremony. Such a cute picture!

We were running late as usual, so this is our race into the wedding...

My little man looked so handsome in his tux! Bryce wore this same tux at his age.

My boys on their best behavior!

My dad and the beautiful bride entering the courtyard.
They each wrote their own vows. It was so touching to hear how hey felt about each other. Lots of tears during that part!The Mr. and Mrs.

The whole gang after the wedding...even the dogs were a part and dressed up for the occasion.

We ate at the Pink House for the rehearsal dinner. The atmosphere was so cool in a house built in the 1700's, the food was yummy and the company was fun and relaxed. Brayden was not fond of this dinner, and we spent lots of time walking the streets of Savannah checking out the horses, etc...

The happy couple at dinner.

Here is my mom and Brayden at a small champagne and cake reception after the wedding. My mom was beautiful in her purple dress!

A dad and daughter dance...

Cutting the cake...

Let's eat cake and celebrate!

Our family in the park.

The boys take a walk to prepare for some more pictures. My hubby looked so handsome in his suit!

Melanie looked stunning in her dress and very happy! The park setting was great for pictures too!

The kids with the bride minus Brayden. He had enough by this point.

A stroller train. Brayden was getting out of the park at all costs! No more pictures...

We had dinner afterwards at the River House. Everything turned out just perfect!

I made the centerpieces for the table with river rocks, reindeer moss, water, and hydrangea blooms. Congrats to Melanie and Tyler! May God bless your marriage now and for years to come!

An Old House Tour

2010-06-03T15:09:00.000-07:00

I went with a friend today and toured this very cool house. It was built around 1870 and moved to this spot in the last few years. It has been renovated and added to I think, but has most of the original floors, doors, roof etc. This house is very unique. Come along and see for yourself.

The porch wrapped around the whole house and was amazing! I pictured it with a bunch of rockers and different seating areas.

Isn't it cool how the brick was put on so haphazardly?

Here is the staircase when you walk in the front door. All the wallpaper is fabric.

This is the greatroom looking in from the kitchen.

Here is the kitchen.

I just LOVE this copper sink!

This brick around the oven is one of my favorite parts of the house! I wish I could do this in my kitchen!

An old-fashioned toilet. Very cool...I also love the color of that beadboard.

This bathroom is huge! Have you ever seen a bathroom with a fireplace?

Speaking of huge bathrooms, here is the master bath. Notice the wood and tin ceiling. It was like this throughout the house.

I have never seen a shower like this before. It has no walls. You just shower in the middle of the room. It had three shower heads; two on the wall and one coming down from the ceiling. I'm not sure how I would feel about showering here, hmmm.

Here is the master bedroom. It takes up the whole upstairs with the master bath. It has two fireplaces in the bedroom and one in the bathroom.

This is the stairway leading to the master bedroom. Those doors are so cool! The stairs are very narrow and steep!

This is the sideyard. LOVE all the brick! And I didn't even show you the basement. It was too dark for pictures, but a cool kid's quarters.
My kids had a blast running around this old place. They said they wanted to live here because it is huge. I told them it was way too much for mommy to clean! What do you think? Could you live here?

Wedding Gift Idea

2010-06-01T06:58:00.000-07:00

Tis the season for weddings and as you know, my sister just got married this month. I put this gift together for her. It is kind of a "summer porch" themed gift. I found this adorable antique rocker in great condition and gave it to her along with a galvanized drink tub from Lowes. I just stenciled their initial on it. I then added some impatiens, some drink mixes, and a few magazines and kitchen towels from Ikea.

A gift that they can enjoy all summer out on their screened porch. More wedding pics to come...

I Finally Picked a New Front Door Color!

2010-05-28T07:05:00.000-07:00

Here is our door last Feb. before the daddy daughter dance; doesn't Makenna look beautiful in her sparkly red dance shoes? Anyway, I loved our wood front door, but it was looking a little worn and really wasn't me. I needed some color, but had trouble finding just the right one. I decided on green...

Here she is in green! I painted it "Ryegrass" from Sherwin Williams then I glazed over it with a Walnut stain. It was a little too bright at first, but the stain toned it down a good bit.

It looks more like an antique door with the stain. That is what I was going for. I just love the raised wood panels.

The hubby says that it doesn't really go with the house, but I am happy with it for now and what does he know about paint colors anyway right? He wanted it black....boring...and yes, we have a porch light out. Off to change that now.

Mother's Day and a Vinyl Lettering giveaway

2010-05-12T07:27:00.001-07:00

I had a fun Mother's Day weekend. Bryce took me on a date on Friday night. We saw a movie at the school and ate dinner there. We had a good time, but we had to leave early because the movie was not one that was appropriate for kids to watch. Go figure, at the elementary school! Bryce was a good sport about it and next time, we will go to our own movie.

They served me breakfast in bed along with sweet homemade cards, roses cut from the backyard, and a decorating magazine from my hubby. Does he know me or what?

We had a good morning at church and then spent the afternoon with my mom. I felt very special and blessed! When Makenna would be cranky, Bryce would say, "It's Mother's Day, you are supposed to be nice to mom." He is getting the hang of this!

I also won a giveaway from Twice As Nice Lettering! It is a Welcome sign that is supposed to go on the front door, but it would not fit on mine, so I put it in the foyer. I love it and it's so easy to put on. You just take the backing off and stick it to the wall. Rub it so it sticks good.

Then peel the front paper off slowly making sure the letters are sticking to the wall.

Here it is! A hand painted look without the work or mess! I love the bird accent. Thanks Twice as Nice Lettering for my prize! I can't wait to order some more! Check out their site. They have lots of choices and great prices. I added some pics of other vinyl lettering around my house.

Here is the laundry room. Our laundry is not always simple though...wishful thinking!

Our bedroom.

Above the mantle in the living room. Go and try some for yourself here. It really adds a personal touch.

Watergate Salad Recipe

2010-05-03T13:16:00.001-07:00

We had this yummy "salad" at Bryce's birthday party and it was so good, so I wanted to share it with you. We had this a lot when I was a little girl, so it brings back fond memories. It is a great side dish and goes with just about any meal, or you can make it for a low fat dessert. Enjoy!

Watergate Salad

1 small instant pistachio pudding

1 large can crushed pineapple

1 cup mini marshmallows

1/2 to 1 cup chopped pecans

1 9oz. whipped topping (Cool Whip)

Mix all ingredients together and keep in frig. until serving.

8 Years Ago...

2010-05-01T20:42:00.000-07:00

On this day, 8 years ago, this little boy changed my life. On May 1, 2002, I became a mom and will never be the same. The saying "it goes by so fast" seems to be so cliche, but I am realizing it really is true. Bryce has grown so much, but most of all, I am amazed and proud of the heart he has. He deeply cares for others and is such a faithful little friend. He already has impacted lives around him because he is not afraid to be a friend to those that no one wants to talk to. Even when he doesn't realize it, he is showing the love of Christ to those kids.

To celebrate his special day, our family had some old fashioned backyard fun. You will know what I mean after you see the pictures below. (We really aren't rednecks, by the way :)

Here is my mom and Brayden. I talk to my mom daily and now realize how much she did for me. Thanks Mom! I love you! Brayden loves hanging out with her.

Makenna was refilling her lemonade cup for the second or third time. I lost track, but sugar doesn't count on birthdays,right?

The kids roasted their hot dogs over the fire on coat hangers. (I told you it was old fashioned fun).

They still sit at this tiny picnic table they painted. Here they are acting silly. Cousins are so much fun!

We even did some relay races. This one was their first time doing the 3 legged race. Makenna was not fond of this one and quit half way through with a hurt ankle.

Then came the "potato" sack race. No, those aren't potato sacks, they are garbage bags. The guy at Publix would not sell me any of their potato sacks. And yes, that is me on the far right. I believe in adults acting like kids every now and then. It's good for the soul!

Then came the wheel barrow race. This one is an old favorite, but harder than I remember.

This is the "pass off the egg on the spoon" relay, after you walk down and back. The kids were serious about this one and it showed... we did not lose any eggs. Whew! They were Eggland's Best and those are not cheap!

They each got to take some whacks at the car pinata. It held on for a while, but finally gave out and dumped candy for the kids to gather up. Brayden got into this one. He liked getting to hit something with a bat and then eat candy off the ground. What a treat!

Here is the "Mario" cake I made. This is the first time I have done much "artwork" on a cake, but it turned out pretty good. I use this cake website every year for my kid's birthdays and they have pictures and directions for just about any cake you can think of. Bryce said it was the coolest cake I have made him. That makes it worth all the extra time and effort. I actually had fun doing it and contemplated going to work at Publix to decorate cakes. It was just a brief thought...

Make a Wish!

Time for presents! Bryce just loves opening presents! This is probably his most favorite part.
He had been waiting all day.

Here is his most favorite present. Grandpa and Grandma surprised him with a Star Wars blaster. He said it was "sweet". He has been asking for that one for a while now...

Bryce, thank you for blessing my life for 8 years. I pray that you will continue to live for God and seek Him in all you do. I look forward to watching you grow and consider it a privilege to be your mom. Happy Birthday! It was a fun day. I love you!

Drink Tub gets a New Purpose

2010-04-30T06:15:00.000-07:00

I found this round metal tub at a junk store. It actually came from Target. I love the color, but it was a little bright for my living room so I got out my paint brush and painted it "Contented" from Sherwin Williams. It is a sample that I had in the garage.

The tub now lives on my mantle holding a fern; one of my favorite elements of summer. I stenciled a number 3 on it because that is how many lazy months of summer there are.

Here is my summer mantle as of now.

This is my favorite part of the mantle. I have been collecting these blue glass bottles, jars, and candle holders for awhile. This color makes me happy and feels like a summer day at the beach. So does this old white picnic basket draped with my grandma's hankie. Enjoy your day! May it be a lazy one!

I linked up to A Soft Place to Land DIY Day

Master Bedroom Makeover

2010-04-22T06:56:00.001-07:00

Some homemade "artwork" using pictures, burlap, scrapbook paper, and number stencils. The frames are Wal Mart and garage sale finds.

I have been needing a change in my bedroom as it seems like many people are on the blogs that I read. Maybe it's a spring thing. I did not have much money to spend so here is what I came up with on the "cheap". I created this sitting area with some wicker chairs that my mom was getting rid of. I spray painted them black and made some pillows for them. The seat cushions are chenille pillows that I got at a garage sale for $1. (kind of a dark picture, sorry)This trunk was in my mom and dad's basement. When my mom was a little girl, this is what her parents put all five of the kid's clothes in when they traveled. I am going to use it to store my fabric or pictures.

I used two old wood crates to make a side table. It is good storage for magazines and books and other treasures I might find.

This is my "treasure of the week"! I splurged on this one because I kept thinking about it for days after I left the antique store. I love the antique silver finish and it was all ready to go with a long cord and plug so I could swag it and plug it in. No male help needed! I got it for $40.

These are Anthropologie inspired curtains that I found on ebay. They are actually Pottery Barn, but they're used, so I got a great deal. The R plate I got at Hobby Lobby. I hung the curtains on glass knobs from Hobby Lobby.

I am in love with the white pick stitch bedding from Pottery Barn, but I found this white matlesse at a flea market with the shams for $45. The other two pillow cases came from Goodwill and the burlap bolster I made. There is just something about white bedding mixed with burlap and flowers that I love!

I painted the shutters a blue/green next to the bed. Kind of a summery beachy look.

Here is what happens once the "photo shoot" is over...back to reality!

Easy Ice Cream Cake

2010-04-19T14:44:00.000-07:00

I have made this cake many times for different summer gatherings and it's always a big hit! I thought I would share it with you.

Here is what you need. You can choose the candy that goes in it. That is the fun part!

It is just two layers of ice cream sandwiches with cool whip, caramel, fudge and candy/cookies in between. It's that easy! Let me know if you try it for your next summertime treat.

Ice Cream Cake

20 Ice cream sandwiches

12 oz. Cool Whip

Hot fudge ice cream topping

Caramel ice cream topping

Candy pieces crushed, your choice (m & m's, Heath Bar, Butterfinger, Oreos, Andes, nuts, pretzels, etc.)

Layer ice cream sandwiches on the bottom of a 13x9 dish. Top with one layer of cool whip. Drizzle fudge and caramel over cool whip. Sprinkle with cookie/candies (you can use two kinds together if you would like, i.e. pretzels and butterfinger). Repeat again to make 2nd layer ending with candy. Cover and freeze 4 hours or overnight. Take out about 10 minutes before serving.

I Love Spring!

2010-04-14T07:02:00.000-07:00

We had a great spring break! Here are some of the things we did. This one is me and my older two climbing the mountain. It was their first time and they loved it!

They made it to the top with their cousins. They were glad to be done climbing.

After our annual easter egg hunt on Easter afternoon at my sister's house.

The kids built a fort in the backyard to play in. This is their restaurant. They even decorated the tables. Like mother...like children! I love it.

Here is the house part complete with clothesline and hooks on the fence for their bags. Very inventive!

Brayden loved the surprises in the Easter eggs.

Our family on Easter. He is Risen! We have lots to celebrate.

My kids out front before church. This is the best I could do with all three of them. Brayden does not stay still for long.

My pretty daffodils, bunny, and a polka dot plate I found at Goodwill with my friend Elise.

A sweet spring table set in Makenna's room for her doll tea parties. The flower in the paper cup is just priceless and her blanket for the tablecloth! I just love that girl! Happy Spring!

Girl's Trip to Savannah

2010-04-07T18:19:00.000-07:00

My mom and my sisters and I went to Savannah for the weekend to help my sister, Melanie, finish some last details for her May wedding. Here she is in front of the cottage where the newlyweds will be staying. Isn't she beautiful, by the way? (inside and out). She is going to make a stunning bride!

This is the park across the street. The Spanish Moss hanging from the trees just makes this place breathtaking! It was so relaxing here! Having no kids with me helped too!

Here is the Bed and Breakfast where the wedding will take place and the family will stay. What a quaint place! Savannah is full of so much history!

Here is the 4 of us in front of the river on a cold and windy night! This was after a yummy, fun, dinner.

Of course, we had to do some shopping and this was my favorite store! It was called the Paris Market. They had some of the most unique stuff I have ever seen. I could not afford any of it though even in the clearance section. It was so fun to look though!

A cool old dry sink (love the color) with some lovely lavender.

I wanted some of these numbered baskets for my bathroom!

The downstairs cellar was amazing with old, old brick floors and walls.

Can't wait until we get to go back for the wedding!

A Dropcloth Shower curtain with Ruffles

2010-03-22T07:44:00.001-07:00

I finished the shower curtain in my bathroom, which is now usable by the way and we are so excited. But, as usual, I have lots of little details to finish it. I used a $10 drop cloth from Home Depot for the shower and added some white ruffle trim from Hobby Lobby to make the shower curtain. The curtain cost me about $20 including the grommets. The only thing I would have done differently is make it wider. I only added a few inches extra and I should have done at least 6 inches. Oh well, I am still learning!

I just adore this ruffle trim and I love mixing unexpected styles together like an industrial looking drop cloth and soft feminine ruffles. I just sewed the ruffles onto the curtain after I measured and drew a line to pin the trim to so it would be straight.

Here is what the trim looks like. It is 1.99/yard at Hobby Lobby. Less with a coupon or when it's on sale!

I used these vintage style glass shower curtain hooks from Target's Shabby Chic collection. I added grommets to hang the curtain. Once again, I love the industrial looking grommets and the feminine sparkly glass knobs. It didn't turn out perfect, but I love how it looks in the bathroom.

Bring on Spring!

2010-03-16T06:15:00.000-07:00

I am doing a light "sprinkling" of spring this year at our house. I honestly can't find my spring decor so I am just using what I have and adding some bits of blue. I got three of these pretty votive cups at my favorite store for FREE! I love that place! (They were a little damaged, but I don't care). This is my wooden Christmas lamb turned Easter lamb. It stands for Jesus and how he laid down his life for us at Easter. He is now Risen!

I just love this rusty urn turned egg cup.

I have started collecting glass bottles for my bathroom, but I just love this one in the kitchen.

I also am collecting aged silver pieces and just snagged this cake plate at my favorite store too. The glass on the cloche is very dirty, sorry!

This chenille carrot came from Makenna's kitchen. I wish I could say I made it, but I didn't.

Another silver cup I collected along with an old silver candlestick I had. I got the tray at a garage sale last year for $1.00. I found these flashcards and stained them with coffee to age them a bit.

Happy Spring!! Now off to plant some tulips and daffodils that I didn't get around to doing this winter!