Primitive & Proper

Friday Guest: Kim from Keller-Creative (and Find Me at lemondrop Dreams!)

2012-01-27T05:30:00.001-05:00

Happy Friday! Can you believe I am guesting at another blog today? I feel way cooler than I really am this week. ;) You can find me today over at lemondrop Dreams sharing my design for our master bedroom! Want a sneakity peek? Of course you do! A portion of this gorgeous room inspired me!

And you guys should really check out Colleen's blog if you have not already! One of my all time favorite projects was this vanity! She uses such fun happy colors in her home and has a fresh take on vintage!

So go check her out!
Now, I also have an awesome guest for you today sharing a fabulous and fun DIY project! Kim is the mastermind behind Keller-Creative. Kim has a very fun and eclectic style! I love this glimpse into her office (the little pictures hanging on the wire are awesome!)

And check out this view into her laundry closet! I love the aqua stripe!

She is here today to share the details of a fun furniture transformation! Take it away, Kim!
Hi Primitive and Proper readers! I'm Kim and I write over at the blog Keller-Creative. On K-C I run a little series called Behind the DIY. Cassie participated this time around with an amazing reveal of her striped dining room (which I'm still trying to recover from that awesome-ness) and I'm so excited for the tables to be turned so that I get to share a little of my own Behind the DIY on one of my favorite striped projects.
What is the project you will be sharing today?
I'm talking all about my 1940s utlility cart turned monogrammed outdoor bar cart.

Did anything inspire this project, or did it all come tumbling out of your head?
I had seen lots of great bar carts around the blogging world and while I love the look of the faux bamboo and glass ones, I had no room inside my house for one, however I did have a perfect spot on my screened in porch for an outdoor version.
When I saw the cart at an old antique store I orgianlly had no idea what I wanted to do with it. I thought a pattern could be nice and my orginal thought was chevron but since I had just done that I decide to go with stripes instead. I'm wild and crazy, I know.

The idea of making a circle in the center for a monogram didn't come to be until I saw a plastic bowl sitting in my garage. I thought it would make the perfect template. And I'm a girl who loves a good monogram so it was the perfect fit.

Did the project stay on the original track, or did it evolve on its own?
Like most of my projects, it evolved as I went. The towel bar was a pretty late addition in the game.

What did you love about doing this project? What did you love not-so-much?
I love how it's a functional piece and it fits perfect in the space between my door and window on the porch. That was pretty much dumb luck. But I do have to admit the one thing I don't love so much are the colors!

I like the green stripes but I think I went a little too preppy with the pink "K". Interestingly enough the "K" was orginally yellow but I changed it with the first color paint I could grab. The green and pink is cute but it doesn't really go with the rest of the porch. I've considered changing the pink but can't decide what color it should be....
And if you could do it all over, would you? Or do you love it so much you keep walking by it just so you can look at it? (oh come on, I know we all do it!!!)
I would definetly do this project again! I had so much fun transforming a 1940's utility cart into a bar cart. I think next time I might just plan my colors a little better ;)

Thanks for having me Cassie! You can see the entire tutorial (plus more before photos here).

Valentine's Mantle and a Guest Post

2012-01-26T06:00:00.002-05:00

I am so excited because I got to do another very fun guest post this week! Today, you will find me over at White Lacquer sharing "things I wants". Here is a little peek at something I want....

And while you are there, be sure to check out Patience's blog, if you have not already! I love her eclectic and dramatic style. Here is a peek inside of her own home!

Um, hello... check out that headboard! So hop on over to White Lacquer for a visit!

And now I want to share a little Valentine's decor with you.
As soon as Emmy's party was over, I was ready to take down the rest of the Wintery decor, and get out the Valentine's Day decor. In doing so, I discovered that I barely had any! My most precious Valentine's decor I keep out all the time on my bookcases, but I moved it to the mantle for now. It's a ceramic heart that Sawyer made for me in art class last year. I also gathered some aqua glass pieces, milkglass, a pink frame with scrapbook paper in it, the heart that Anita gave me, and I made some pipe cleaner hearts on pipe cleaner stems, so I have my very own jar of hearts. :)

But it needed something more! So I consulted my Valentine's pin board and found just the inspiration I needed.

I am sharing all the details of how I made my new banner at The DIY Club today, but here is how it looks on my Valentine's Mantle!

And here is the look all put together... I love the colors against the gray. I still don't love the TV getting in the way of my mantlescaping, but I have to admit I enjoy sitting in there watching TV at night with a fire going!

To see this and all my other DIY Club projects, just click on the button!

Sharing:

Giveaway: Welcome Home E-Book!

2012-01-25T17:22:00.000-05:00

Let me preface by saying that I wanted to put together a much prettier and better post, but I have a sick child at home today... he has been throwing up ALL day! So between changing sheets, doing laundry, rubbing his back, breaking up ice chips, putting on movies, and tending to Emmy as well... my time has been kinda limited! Oh, and let's not forget Charlie deciding that it was a good day to dig, so I had to bathe a very muddy dog, too. And Charlie hates getting bathed.
That being said....

I have an awesome giveaway for you today! The very talented Shannon from AKA Design has written an E-Book that will help you de-clutter and decorate your home! The Book is titled Welcome Home: Tips, Tricks & Ideas for Creating a Beautifully Cozy Home, and let me tell you that Shannon certainly knows how to create a "beautifully cozy home". Here are some case in point images of her own home...
'

Shannon's book takes you through a step by step process that is a fabulous guide for the novice or the seasoned decorator! I read through her book and loved the approach she takes and found her breakdown to be so easy to follow. And what is really fabulous about it is that she doesn't tell you how to create this style or that style, but helps you find your own style. Here is what Shannon has to say about the book and the giveaway!

"I'm so excited about this giveaway!!!

Creating a cozy home for our family and helping others to do the same is my passion. I love beautiful spaces. But I also I love it when someone visits our house and feels right at home putting their feet up with a cup of tea. Or when my kids sprawl on the shag area rug in the living room to play a board game. And I love when things are easily tidied up because everything has a place. I want to help others create the same welcoming spaces in their home. Welcome Home is my way of showing you how to do that.

My eBook is divided up into three sections. Part One is called Begin at the Beginning and it shows you how to do just that; a few do's & don'ts plus three elements that make a great space. Part Two is all about where to find inspiration and how to use that inspiration. Part Three helps you get down to business with small space decorating ideas, budget decorating tricks and bargain shopping tips. Plus a whole bunch more all packed up neatly in one little package!

I'd like to offer up two free PDF copies of Welcome Home for Primitive & Proper readers. If you'd like to purchase a copy now and you win the giveaway, I'll credit you back in full for your purchase. You know, if you just can't wait! :)

Thank you Cassie for having me over today!!!"

So here is how you can enter to win one of the two free copies! Leave a separate comment for each that you do.

1. Mandatory: Be a follower of my blog and let me know!

Bonus Entries!

2. Be a follower of AKA Design, and leave a comment letting me know you are!

3. Like me on Facebook.

4. Like AKA Design on Facebook.

5. And finally, let me know what you struggle with most in decorating your house.

That is 5 chances to enter!

Giveaway closes Sunday, January 29 at midnight. Winner will be selected using random.org and announced Monday on the blog, so make sure to check back here! Winner will be given 48 hours to claim prize and if not claimed a new winner will be chosen.

Good luck, and thank you, Shannon!!

If This Blog Were a Room

2012-01-25T03:00:00.000-05:00

I wanted to let you know that I will be over at Simple Dwellings today sharing what I envision my blog would be if it were a room! Here is a little sneak peek...

And while you are there check out Amber's home and blog! I am in love with her dining room:

Isn't it gorgeous? So hop over to visit me and Amber at Simple Dwellings!

Piece of Work Wednesday Furniture Link Party Number 72!

2012-01-24T16:00:00.013-05:00

Happy POWW! I have a fun little piece to share with you today, that was inspired by one of your links! But before I get to that I want to tell you a little feel good story!

Last night, Emmy had dance class. it was so foggy and visibility was very low... a bad night for driving. I actually passed the dance studio because it is in a house and I could barely see the house from the road. I had both kids with me, and Chris was working late and planned to be home after midnight. We headed into class and Sawyer and I sat and watched while Emmy did her "Lyrical" class and then her "Acro" class. An hour later we headed back to the car, and I saw I had left my fog lights on. D'oh! We had been the last ones to leave the class as Emmy was slow to get her boots on, so no one else was left in the parking lot. There were still cars there though from the class that started after ours. I got the kids buckled up, sat down in the drivers seat, turned the ignition... and nothing. Deader than dead. I told the kids to wait a minute (this house is out in the country, it's not a huge shopping center, so don't worry!) and I ran inside to ask any of the parents of the next class if they might be able to give me a jump start. One of the dads volunteered to help me and another lady. She pulled up her car to mine, we hooked up the cables, and nothing happened still- even after several tries. At this point, I was starting to wonder how we'd get home, but tried not to panic. The dad offered to give us a ride home even though it was completely out of his way. I told him I would try calling my neighbors and let him know if that failed. I called them, but there was no answer. We just moved here in October, so my list of possible people to call in an emergency is still rather short! I ran back in and asked if he wouldn't mind giving us a ride home.

I put the carseats in his car, and we headed to my house. He drove in an area he wasn't familiar with through horrible fog to get us home. On the way home, I asked him about his family and made friendly conversation. He told me that their daughter was 10 years old and had been adopted from birth. He and his wife met later in life and married and tried to have children. She miscarried 3 times, and they of course were heartbroken. They both were school teachers, and she was a special ed teacher. One of her students became pregnant, and the opportunity for them to adopt the baby from birth arose. They were thrilled and so in love. It turns out that the wife's student since then has had 8 more babies. Last year the student's mother called these wonderful people and told them there was an opportunity for a baby boy. They were elated... their 9 year old daughter was thrilled at the thought of having a baby brother. They had already gotten rid of all their baby things because they were sure that they would have just the daughter. So they had to purchase all new items, set up a nursery, but it was worth it. Their family was on cloud 9. They were in the room when the baby was born, and when their hearts were broken by the birth father, who would not sign the adoption papers. All the planning, shopping, dreaming had led to this moment of heartbreak. They spent the summer in funk, and very sad. They have since recovered and don't feel that vid they did at first.
Why am I telling you this story? I don't really know. I just wanted to share it because I feel like sometimes people come into your lives at different times, and it can be very brief, but they touch you. And this gentleman and his story just got to me. The kindness of strangers is sometimes the best gift we can receive, and paying it forward is the best gift we can give.

Ok, and now to the furniture and party! A couple of months ago, my furniture-revampin' friend Ann Marie at Twice Lovely shared this amazing herringbone desk, that was so amazing that it was featured all over the blogworld, and even on design sponge! Get outta here! For real! Check it out so you can see its awesomeness for yourself...

Ah, yes, it still makes my heart skip a beat! LOVE it.

Well recently I found a sad little mid century table at Goodwill for $5. It wasn't so sad really, but it had a hard laminate top.... YUCK. And I can't seem to find my before picture... um.... oops. So imagine it was a warm maple color and the top was fake hard warm maple.... Can you picture it?

I gave it a good sanding, primed it, and painted it with two coats of Dutch Boy's Lake Champlain, the color I used on my sideboard. After it was dry, I wanted to add some sort of detail to it to give it a little "oomph". I knew Ann Marie's treatment was perfect for this so I whipped out a paint pen and got to work drawing a herringbone pattern on the drawer. Here it is now! I like its fun mod look!

So what have you worked on this week? I am looking forward to another week of the best links on the block!

RULES:
1. Must be a follower to party here.
2. Must be a complete FURNITURE redo or new build.... NO crafts!
3. Must place my button or a text link in your post or sidebar.
4. Must be a NEW LINK HERE. If I have seen at at my party before, I don't want to see it again.
5. Leave others some comment lovin'!
Sharing here:

Easy Removable Snowflake Decor

2012-01-24T06:00:00.001-05:00

As you may have read, this past weekend was Emmy's Winter Woodland birthday party. I kept the decor pretty simple by just keeping out many of my wintery Christmas decorations, and added a couple other things here and there. I shared some pictures and you may have noticed some pretty silvery snowflakes on the wall....

Here are a couple more pictures of the snowflakes (before the food was set out) so you can see. I thought they added the perfect touch!

Aren't they pretty! And the best part is they didn't damage my walls at all! I am sharing the how to today over at The DIY Club. This project took me all of 10 minutes, and is in fact so pretty, that my kids and I decided the snowflakes need to stay up a little longer. So here is a sneak peak of my Valentine's decor with the snowflakes!

To see this and all of my DIY club projects, just click on the button!

My Big Announcement!

2012-01-23T06:00:00.001-05:00

Last week I teased you all, and told you I had a big announcement coming today! It was a lot of fun reading the comments, and hearing from you via email. A couple people thought I was pregnant... one of my best friends even called me and asked! NOPE. DEFINITELY NOT PREGNANT. While I admire those of you who have 8 kids, are able to craft, decorate your home, and still look pretty, I don't think I could do it. I had a little baby itch, but it went away and I am thankful for that... as wonderful as babies are, my kids will BOTH be in school full day starting next fall and I will have 8 hours a day, 5 days a week to myself. Why on earth would I want to give up that??? So no- no babies here.

Some of you guessed an etsy shop, which is closer, but nope, not it. Maybe one day I will get it together enough to have one! For now.... I will be joining forces with my good friend Sarah, aka The Thriftress in a new venture! Sarah and I met through blogging and were able to meet in person last year for the first time. Now that I have moved, we live a little closer to one another and have been able to get together a few times. We enjoy each others company so much (and our girls love each other- Sarah's daughter was one of the owlets I shared yesterday!) and have similar styles that we decided it would be fun for us to venture into business together! We both are stay at home moms, so we wanted something that would be fun, a creative outlet, and the appropriate pace for us. I am so lucky to have someone so fabulous to share with in as we travel through this new journey!

We are pleased to announce that Sarah, aka The Thriftress, and Cassie of Primitive and Proper have joined creative forces in a new retail venture called....

"Persephone" is our new business name for our own little retail space at Wild Rose and Co in Walkersville, MD. Wild Rose & Co was founeded by my pal, Lynette, and is the cutest little boutique featuring vintage finds, furniture, and even cute boutique style clothing, candles, soaps, and more! Here is a glimpse of the shop in case you have never been there...

Sarah and Cassie are thrilled to become part of the creative team of vendors at Wild Rose. We hope to bring even more fabulous upcycled vintage finds, fresh home decor, and even more vintage hip-ness!
We hope to see you there for our Grand Opening on Saturday, February 4 from 10 am until 5 pm! Wild Rose is located at 21 West Pennsylvania Ave, Walkersville, MD 21793.

Sarah and Cassie plan to start up a Persephone Facebook page as well, so we will let you know as soon as that is up and running! Thank you so much for your friendship and support- we would not be doing this without you!

Emmy's Winter Woodland Party

2012-01-22T06:00:00.015-05:00

As you all know, my baby girl turned 5 this past week, and yesterday was the party, which we had spent all week preparing for. I already showed you a peek at the cupcakes, and some of the activities and decor, but I wanted to share with you the entire set up, as well as some actual ~~mayhem~~ party shots! Before the guests arrived I snapped pics of the party decor and food...

The chalkboard was decorated for the event.

Even the weather provided us the perfect scenery out the window!

The dining table was first set with all of the feathers, glue, and crayons necessary to decorate the owl masks.

The cupcakes were placed on their stand, and were ready to be devoured!

The sideboard was set with snacky foods fitting the theme.

Peanuts served as "squirrel food" and pretzel sticks became "twigs". And side note- the snowflake place card holders were purchased on super clearance at Michael's after Christmas.

Pirates Booty became "snowballs" and I used whole wheat tortillas along with my woodland creature cookie cutters (owl, bear, moose, hedgehog, rabbit, and squirrel) to make baked "critter chips". The chips went with this healthy cookie dough dip from Chocolate Covered Katie.

Veggies and dip served as "Reindeer food".

I set up all the dishes and plastic ware, with a metal galvanized bucket of bottled water on our small server.

When all the guests had arrived, they hay had a blast decorating their owl masks!

The first two pictures are my two favorite owls (Emmy and Sawyer in case you weren't sure...)

How cute are all those owlets???

After the masks the kids played in the playroom and then we played "Pin the Tail on the Deer", but I am sorry to say I don't have any pictures of the game happening, but you can see the original here.

Then of course, the kids were ready for CUPCAKES!!!!

After cupcakes were done, we cleared the table, and Emmy opened her presents. I always love this part, because all the kids get so excited to "help" and to give their gifts- I just think it's sweet.

As the kids left they got their "snow covered branches" and clay owl or penguin charm favors I shared earlier, but here are the pics again in case you missed it.

We had so much fun planning and putting together this party! And we had so much fun with all of our friends that came out to see us and spend some time with us. Now I can relax until August when it's Sawyer's turn again.... he's already decided on "rock star" theme. Looking forward to planning that one!

Sharing here:

Some Gifts for Emmy & POWW Faves

2012-01-21T06:00:00.001-05:00

It's Saturday! That means today is Emmy's party! The cupcakes are made, and the kids helped me decorate them...

Now I just need to spend the morning cleaning the house and getting everything really ready!

In my quest to really do better at creating handmade gifts for occasions other than Christmas this year, I made sure to give Emmy a couple "handmade" (more like upcycled) gifts for her birthday this year. Since her room is going all "woodsy" on us, I was ecstatic when I found this adorable large scale trinket holder at the Salvation Army! And you see that price tag- yes I paid a whopping 75 cents, friends! It's my favorite thrift shop for fun little vintage oddities.

I took a can of spray primer to it, and then a can of white spray paint, and now she has a cute little squirrel trinket box!

Emmy and I may be the only people who really truly love it, and that's ok. Because that's all that matters.

Now, Emmy also loves to help in the kitchen. Middletown offers a variety of "Mommy & Me" cooking classes for her age group. So for her birthday, I let her choose the class she would like to attend with me (We are going to baking fun!), and I gave her some cooking tools to go with it. She received a couple mini pizza pans, some aqua spatulas, a red flipper with a dog on it, and these wooden spoons which I painted for her with acrylic paint, and then wiped some polycrylic on (just the handles) to protect them as well as food.

She is looking forward to putting them to use! And I am looking forward to spending a couple of hours in a baking class with her!

Let's check out POWW faves, shall we! This week there were some fabulous striped projects, so let's check out some of those first! And I really am just blown away by the wealth of creativity out there. This week again, was one of those where I wanted to feature pretty much every piece. You are all freaking amazing.
Love love love this dresser from my friend (in real life!) Kathy from All About Vignettes. The colors and design are awesome!

And Sue at Uniquely Chic created this gorgeous beachy dresser! How fun are those starfish?

Check out this bad-a** desk from Bad Rabbit Vintage! Awesome!

And some striped-y honorable mentions go to....
June & Bear and Fab Rehab

I love love love the color (love it- did you catch that I love it???) on this amazing vintage desk from Emily's Upcycled Furniture!

My pal Ann Marie is always SO good. You need to go to Twice Lovely to see this fabric covered piece!

And Finally, the girls at Design Par Deux are always rocking my world with their fresh and modern style. They know how to update a vintage piece... just check this one out! Oh, and I am referring to the desk, but they did the awesome chair, too! Design times two, Style times a million.

Happy Happy Weekend! Wish me luck as my house is about to be bombarded by 20 children!

And I also want to say a very very happy birthday to Cora, who turns 2 today and is doing well, though still confined at home for the most part. If you have been following me for a while, then you know about Cora's battle with Aplastic Anemia, a life threatening disease. You know about her super hero older brother who saved her life with his bone marrow. And if you don't know all about it, check out her blog, pray for a continued path to health. And you know that she is blessed and lucky to be celebrating her second birthday today. I wish I could be there to celebrate with her, but germs must stay away from their home for Cora's continued health. Heather, I know you read this, I love you! We all wish we could be there celebrating with you. I will be lighting an extra candle today for Cora on Emmy's cupcake, and thinking of you all.
I created some handmade gifts for Cora as well that I will be sharing next week. She loves horses, so it's all horse related!

Friday Guest: Michelle from Prudently Painted Vintage

2012-01-20T05:30:00.001-05:00

Happy Friday! I will be busy today making cupcakes with Emmy to get ready for her party tomorrow! We are so excited- this will be the first "big event" we have had at our house since moving in, with lots of friends from our old town. I am just so glad they are all making the hour drive for Emmy, and really looking forward to seeing them. I will be sharing pictures on Sunday I am sure!
For today, I have a fabulously adorable and glowing blogger, Michelle from Prudently Painted Vintage, as my guest today! She redid her bathroom last year, and I love everything about it! Check out the ruffled shower curtain, the beadboard, and the awesome artwork!

Here is a better picture of the artwork she created....

Isn't it gorgeous?? And don't you love that wall color? I do! She is here today to share a quick project, and one that is a 9 month project!

When Cassie asked if I wanted to guest post I literally did a
happy dance while I was reading the e-mail. I Love. Her. Blog! She is
one skilled girl! So I am delighted to be here today (if you couldn't
tell already). Thank you for having me!

I am Michelle, I blog over at Prudently Painted
Vintage. I do a mix of stuff. Some crafty stuff. Some decorating
stuff. Some funriture stuff. Mostly I just have fun finding ways to
make my home uniquely me. Here are a few of my favorite projects:

Trunk
turned coffee table

Wood
Canvas Art

Bathroom
makeover

So that was just a few of my favs, there is lots more where that came
from ;)

Today I want to share with you my very first project of the year. I
know, I know I'm totally slacking this year, but I have a good excuse!
I wanted a large chalkboard in a pretty frame too (of course) for a
photography journal I am doing for my last pregnancy (see good excuse
for slacking, right?!). So I went to Goodwill and found the most
hideous framed picture I could find (just joking, it is pretty creepy
though).

My daughter was like "Mom that picture is scaring me" I first
taped up around the frame and sprayed it with a lovely shade of
turqoise:

I then covered the frame with tape and sprayed on two coats of
chalkboard spray paint (because that's what it says to do and I follow
directions.....most of the time :)

Now here it is finished and I have a cute way to keep track of my soon

to be huge belly :)

Hope you all enjoyed having me here! Come visit me sometime! Prudently
Painted Vintage.

Winter Woodland Party Prep

2012-01-19T06:00:00.007-05:00

As you know, my baby girl, Emmy, turned 5 on Tuesday. We are throwing her a birthday party this weekend and the theme is "Winter Woodland". It has been too cold to get much furniture done, so I thought I would share with you some of the things we have worked on to get ready.

My favorite preparation by far is the favors! I wanted to give the kids some handmade favors that fit the theme. I bought a couple bags of the mini pretzel rod's from our local PA Dutch market. I also bought white melting chocolate, crystal shimmery sugar, and white snowflake shaped sprinkles. The idea was to create "snow covered branches".
Using a double boiler, I melted the white chocolate. i dipped each pretzel into the chocolate and set on a cookie sheet covered in foil. I sprinkled on the sugar and snowflakes while the chocolate was still liquid, and then put the pretzels into the freezer.
I aslo had a Martha Stewart chocolate mold in snowflake shapes purchased after Christmas on clearance at Michael's so I made each child a white snowflake chocolate as well.
Here they are wrapped in their treat bags!

I also wanted to give the kids something they could keep for a while (longer than food!). I created little clay penguin and owl charms using sculpey and wire. Each of the treat bags is tied with a charm tied onto it.

For activities, the kids will be decorating owl masks when they arrive. I created a template, but just drawing freehand. I then traced it over 20 times, and cut out 20 owl masks. I used hot glue to attach a small dowel to each so the kids can hold them to their faces. We will be putting out crayons, glue, and feathers, to decorate their masks. Here they are in their plain white form. You can see I wrote the kids names with marker on the backside so there would be no confusion! Once they are colored and covered in feathers, you won't notice that I am sure!

Another activity we've planned is "Pin the Tail on the Fawn". I drew a picture of a fawn copying an outline I saw online, and then cut it out, and proceeded to cut out 20 tails! Here it is on our secret pocket door between the dining room and kitchen! (And this door will be painted soon.... have no fear!)

I think Charlie wants to play!

Finally, I also made more rustic wood decor. I used my wood burning tool to create the number "5" on one and "Eat cake" on another as I had seen here. I plan to just set them out on the table.

So that is what we have been working on this week at our house! I will have more to share after the party I am sure!
Sharing here

I O Thank U's & A Fabulous New Etsy Shop!

2012-01-18T06:00:00.001-05:00

I O U some thank you's!

First of all, I need to say thanks for some of the awesome Christmas gifts I received.....

Many of you know that one of my very best friends is Andi from Jane of All Crafts. The blog name completely suits her, because she made me all sorts of fun goodies for Christmas!

She made me a silver and pink sequins Christmas bulbs... (sorry it is rainy today and gray, but you can see better pics here!)

She crafted this awesome bookmark (we share a passion for reading)....

and these fun clay sand dollar magnets because I have a history with sand dollars. ;)

and made me this lavender stamped soap...

Sawyer received his own bug soap...

And this bug lampshade... Oh wait, that's a real stink bug on my lampshade.

Thank you so much, Andi, for lots of crafty goodness!

I also received a fabulous gift from one of my other very best friends who does not have a blog. Jenni is born and raised in Louisiana. We met in November of 2002 when we had just moved to Louisiana. I was engaged one month later, and one month after that I asked Jenni to be in my wedding, saying something like, "I know we just met, but I know that you and I are going to be very good friends.". Almost ten years later and she is still one of my best friends, and even Sawyer's Godmother, and the thing I miss most in Louisiana, even more than the food. ;)

Anyhow, she was married in 2009, and her husband is a handyman above all. For Christmas, she had an idea, and he put it into action. And this picture is what I received....

Oh but wait, there is more! This is a two for one! Check out what it can do....

The picture insert slides out, and can be flipper over to hang showing this on the other side!

How cool is that? You are jealous, and that's ok. I would be, too. I have the craftiest and most caring friends!

And finally, I was the very first customer for my Anita who just opened her very own etsy shop!!!! Here is her shop banner, just click on it to get to her shop!

Anita has awesome vintage finds at great prices! I purchased some rice sacks to make pillows with....

Won't these make awesome pillows? I just love the blue rose!

And she was so sweet and included an adorable Lavender quilted heart. My mail lady actually asked me if my package was what was smelling so nice in her car. I sniffed the box and confirmed for her!

You need to check out Anita's shop! Here are some of her other in store items:

Thank you to all my wonderful friends! Happy Hump Day!

Piece of Work Wednesday Furniture Link Party Number 71!

2012-01-17T16:00:00.008-05:00

Hello! Hope you are all having a wonderful time on this fabulous day! We started our day with a birthday waffle for Emmy, with 5 chocolate chips for each year of her life, and a candle. We have an evening planned for Emmy.... it includes her favorite meal (pizza from a shop, not made at home!), and opening her presents from us. I made her one gift, so I will share that later. She is just so darn excited to be 5 and heading to kindergarten next year. I, of course, am thrilled about what her heading to kindergarten means for my schedule, but I am also heartbroken that my baby is growing up. Sigh.

Anyhow.... I am sharing the full makeover details of this dresser today over at the DIY Club, but I will give you the quick before ad after here.

BEFORE:

And after....

Ooooh, aaaah. ;
I actually really like this one- I can see it in a boy's room, for sure. It has a very nautical feel to it.
Remember for all the details on color, paint, primer, etc, head over to the DIY Club!

Let's see what you have got this week!
RULES
1. Your link MUST be furniture- a complete project! No crafts!
2. No etsy shops or the like.
3. Must be a follower here.
4. Must add my button or text link to your post or sidebar.
5. Leave others some comment love!
Sharing here:

This Girl....

2012-01-17T06:00:00.000-05:00

.... is turning 5 today, no longer a baby.

.... dances with grace, beauty, and humor one cannot find in the self-aware.

.... sings with all her heart.

.... gives the strongest, most heart-felt hugs imaginable.

.... draws the happiest of happy faces.

.... came into our lives a surprise, and continues to surprise us.

.... is the snuggliest of snugglers.

.... is my number one fan.

.... is Daddy's favorite grocery store buddy.

.... is the apple of her brother's eye though he will never admit that.

.... is ready to take on kindergarten in the fall, and frankly, the world.

.... has such heart, that I know she will make an impact on our world.

Happy birthday to my baby girl. I am so proud of you and who you are becoming. I am astonished by your wit and beauty (inner and outer) every day. I am enjoying the time we have now, rueful that you are no longer a baby, but also looking ahead years from now, to when you become my best friend. I hope that the age of 5 is all your dreams have made it out to be! Love you much much ever so muchly.

Owls, Snails, & Polka Dots!

2012-01-16T06:00:00.008-05:00

I am over at the DIY Club today sharing a couple of smaller makeovers. First of all, I made over a cloche with aqua and polka dots... I love it so much I want to keep it, but it will soon be for sale. (BIG ANNOUNCEMENT COMING NEXT MONDAY!)

And I think I have a new love.... snails. How CUTE are these guys? Well, now that they have had a makeover anyhow! (And the little guy was a little chipped.)

Hop over to the DIY Club for all the details!

And I am sure you are all dying to see the "romantic clone trooper" cookies we made... Here is a little peek! I didn't get any pictures of the clone trooper, but you can see a lovely orange yoda on the cookie sheet.

Sharing here:

Custom Built Furniture

2012-01-15T06:00:00.004-05:00

Disclaimer: Before you get confused, no, I have not honed or mastered any carpentry skills, so this post is not about me or any of my own abilities. :)

We have been very blessed with fabulous neighbors who live behind us. Their daughter is in Sawyer's class. They always think to include our family in any gatherings. Our kids often head up there to play for a few hours on the weekend, and their daughter often comes here. We spent New Year's Eve together, and plan to start swapping nights out, so we each get date nights. The point is, we are really lucky to have them.

Last weekend at their monthly family fun night, the husband shared with us a machine that he built called a CNC machine. Seriously, he built it after seeing it on YouTube. Some time ago, he worked for a carpenter/furniture builder, and that is where his real passion lies. Yesterday, he showed me the bed that he made for his daughter. I did not have my camera on me, but let me tell you, it was amazing. It even featured built in book storage on the footboard, akin to this style...

The headboard and footboard had a beautiful shape and they were made out of solid India wood, and painted in a cottage style. To say I am impressed is an understatement. His talent is immeasurable.

I am writing this post because building furniture is not something I have experience with, but I would really love to help him follow his dream. For now I suggested perhaps creating a portfolio and trying to find a boutique or retailer that could share it with clients, but I would love to hear any thoughts you may have. Your input is much appreciated!

POWW Faves

2012-01-14T06:00:00.001-05:00

Happy Saturday!!!!!
I had a weekend plan of decorating fun heart shaped cookies with our neighbor's daughter. Last night I discovered that I have a hedgehog, a squirrel, a horse, a frog, a star and all other sorts of cookie cutters. But I have no heart. (cookie cutter, that is- I hope by now you know I have a heart. You do, right?). Santa brought Emmy some fun fairytale cookie cutters though, and Sawyer has Star Wars cookie cutters, so the plan has been revamped a bit. Cooke decorating will still prevail! We will just have to make romantic clone troopers.

I have to admit, I am so intimidated by your talent, people! Every week, you guys surprise me with even AWESOMER (spell check says that isn't a word, but whatevs) projects than the week before. So I am only going to be able to scratch the surface here. You really need to check out the original party to see just what i am talking about. This small sample will give you a hint....

LOOOVE these graphic lockers from Lovely etc.. Carrie constantly produces fabulous projects- this is one of my all time favorites. Methinks me needs some lockers! (and really, methinks is a word according to spell check.... hmmmm)

And I really hope you did not miss this silver leafed dresser from My Champagne Taste. It is the epitome of glamorous and beautifully executed! I feel prettier just looking at it.

And I have seen some fabulous chevron pieces, but I looooove this dresser from Stacey of Embracing Change. Is it not amazing????

Now, you all know I love some bold color, too, so how bout this red dresser from Amy at The Salvage Collection. Even though she made a slight jab at me in her post, I still love her, her dresser, and her humor. :)

And let's end this round up with another BOLD piece... this fabulous orange (holla, color of the year in da houz!) dresser from Lily Filed Furniture. Love it....

And you know what. This is my blog and I am feeling frisky, and I am going to feature ANOTHER piece.... this makeover from Lilyfield Life (not to be confused with Lily Field Furniture above!) also knocked my socks off and I may have to visit Australia, just so I can sit in one of the awesome chairs at this awesome table. Seriously, who's coming with me?

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Friday Guest: Kathleen from Between Blue & Yellow

2012-01-13T05:30:00.002-05:00

Happy Friday! We are already just about 2 weeks into the new year. How on earth did that happen so fast? Are you all ready for the weekend? I am! We are having a neighbor over tomorrow for some heart cookie decorating, and Emmy and I have a party to attend on Sunday for her classmate, and Monday.... well Monday I don't know! The kids are off from school, and Emmy's actual birthday is Tuesday, so maybe we will do something special together. This weekend I won't be attacking any projects, but just enjoying family time, and starting preparations for Emmy's birthday party.

Today, I have a fabulous guest for you! Kathleen from Between Blue and Yellow is a long time blog friend of mine! And hopefully this June she will become a real life blog friend because there is about a 95% chance I will be attending the Haven Conference and staying with her! :) I am so excited about meeting her in person! She is a beautiful young woman, mother of 2 little girls (well one is a baby still!), and has so much talent and a sweet vintage style. Check out a glimpse into her baby's nursery!

And here is a peak at the girls' bathroom vanity she refinished.

See what I mean? Soft and sweet vintage style! And she is super talented with furniture makeovers, which is how we became acquainted. She is here to give you some tips on refinishing those dresser tops!

Hi everyone!
I'm Kathleen from Between Blue and Yellow. Thanks to Cassie today for inviting me to do my first guest post ever. Cassie has been such an inspiration to me. And I'm so honored to be here on her blog.

My blog is mostly about furniture re-dos but I also dabble a bit in DIY projects around the house.
Today I'm here to talk to you about staining the top of a dresser. Most of my pieces have a stained top and I think now I've got it down to a science.

Step 1: Some may not choose to do this, but I find it makes the sanding part a little easier. I choose to strip off the old varnish first. I use Citristrip I get from Lowes. It’s a better alternative to those stinky strippers of yester year. And it works great. Follow the directions on the bottle and get a good tool for scraping off the stuff. It gets pretty messy so wear some gloves. I wipe the gunk on an old paper bag. Use what ever works for you.
After you scrape/wipe the stripper all off and it’s dry move on to the next step.

Step 2: (You must have a sander for this part) Sand the top down to the bare wood with some 60 or 80 grit paper. I recently got an orbital sander and it works great. It will take a bit of elbow grease, but it will be worth it in the end. I also highly suggest you get a nice breathing mask, it’s probably not a good idea to be breathing in that dust. After this sanding part, go over it again with a 120 grit to get the top smooth.

Step 3: Make sure you clean the top of all dust. I just use a wet rag and wipe it down several times. Allow it to dry completely. Then to get a more even distribution of the stain, I recommend using a wood conditioner. I use Minwax Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner. Follow directions on can.

Step 4: Get the stain you want to use, I use Minwax. They offer a large variety. Use a good quality brush and begin to paint it on with the wood grain. Allow it to sit for as long as you want. The longer you let it sit, the darker it will be. However, try not to let it dry completely. You will want to wipe off after 10 min or so. If it’s not dark enough for you, do this process again.

Step 5: Once you achieve your desired color, allow it to dry. You can also brush some polyurthane on top as a protective coat and to make it shiny. Clean your brush right away, because the stain is a b*%$@ to get off when it dries.

Come on over and visit me if you have any questions!

2012 Home Goals & Front Door Input Wanted!

2012-01-11T18:40:00.000-05:00

I am joining the Nester and a kajillion other linkers in....

As many of you know, we just moved into our current home in October of 2011. With that in mind, I could probably pen a novella all about my house goals! But I am going to try to keep it real. And something you should know about me if you don't already, is that my attention jumps. Oh yes, my friends, my brain works in patterns unknown to scientists. I will be thinking of one project, planning it out, maybe even in the middle of it, when BOOM, an idea hits me for a completely different project and I am off and running! That is how I came to paint the stripes in our dining room, after all. A flight of fancy hit me and I followed it! So while I am physically capable of jotting down goals, I am not always mentally capable of following through. What happens this year might be nothing on this list, though I will still accomplish a lot. You will not be disappointed. Capiche?

So here goes...

2012 will ROCK!

1. Pretty up the downstairs bath. Here is what it looks like now.

I am thinking something like this for the vanity. The walls will either be painted a warm white or a grayish aqua. The mirror will be framed out, and of course what can I say about all that wood trim? Puke.

2. Paint Emmy's room, trim, closet doors. I shared with you a glimpse of her room here and here. I also shared the wall color, but there are some other ideas I have for her room. In case you did not click back, here are the glimpses....

I will be painting the walls a soft aqua-hued blue, and here are some of the ideas I have.

Paint her closet doors, like these, but instead of a floral-print lion, using a couple woodland decals like this.

She also has a little nook in her room that I would love to give some sort of treatment like this or this

or this or this. (Sorry for the funky alignment- having some blogger issues, meaning I am probably doing something wrong!)

Her room is going to be so fun for me to put together!

3. Pretty up the Playroom/Family room in the basement. I organized it all the other day so now it looks like this... (And there is a couch/tv area not shown here).

So it's organized, yes, but it needs some fun wall art. It doesn't get any natural light, so I am going to keep it white, paint the trim, and paint the doors some fun colors.

I would love to add stick letters like these and a bigger rug and a colorful bunting. The glitch with the rug though is it has to be inexpensive and durable!

I also LOVE how fun this room is!

4. Paint Sawyer's room and trim. I had planned on doing his room first, but he has had so many disruptions and loves playing in his room that I thought it best to let him have it as is for now, and paint later! Right now, it looks like this, except it now has the same bedding on the other bed.

If I let him choose the color, his room would be as red as his rug. But that is NOT going to happen. It will be some shade of gray or blue, I am sure. I love these rooms from my pinboard of his room.

But I just don't know what I will do yet in there.... It will be one of those things where when it hits me, I will be off and running again!

5. Paint our exterior doors. Here are a couple pictures of the exterior at Christmas time.

I love the porch, love the Cape Cod Style. I don't love the brown, brown, and more brown going on. BUT we won't be repainting the entire exterior and trim until it is time to replace the roof. Because the roof is of course, a shade of brown and it's difficult to coordinate with it. I am considering a burnt orange color like the interior of our bookcases or perhaps a shade of aqua like the tables in our living room which are wedgewood gray. I would LOOOOOOVE to hear any thoughts you might have! Maybe you have another idea- PLEASE SHARE. Because I can't live with the brown, and if you have followed me for a while, you know I like front doors that pop!

6. TAKE MY TIME. So I am going to stop there.... that list is plenty long to get me started! Of course I also have dreams for our master bedroom. And I have big dreams for our kitchen (which we hope to start this Spring, depending how tax time goes!). I have many more ideas, dreams, but you know what? My family is going to be here for a long long time. That means I have nothing but time.... and I can get it all done eventually. I hope you will stick around while we make this house our home!

Emmy's Toadstool Tea Table & a Rustic Valentine's Door Decor

2012-01-11T06:00:00.026-05:00

So, the other day I showed you the before of Emmy's tea table and then I showed you a little peak into her room which is taking on a very woodland fantasy/fairytale life of its own. In case you don't click back, here is the before of her little table....

I am sharing all the details and the "how to" over at The DIY Club today, but I will also share with you the after pictures here. Now remember, her room will be painted this spring, closet doors and trim included, so just avert your eyes from those uglies.

I am also sharing today at The DIY Club how I created this rustic Valentine's door decor (which I am pretty much in love with and it was SO easy!)

So click on my DIY Club button to get all the details and how-to's on these projects!

I am sharing at these parties:

Piece of Work Wednesday Furniture Link Party Number 70 and a New Party to check out!

2012-01-10T16:00:00.002-05:00

Happy Tuesday! I hope you are all having a good week so far. It's been busy at our house! I spent Sunday doing more closet organizing. I hit the kids rooms, their closets, and the playroom. I made major progress in the playroom which I hope to share in the next couple of weeks. Sunday I also finally sold my red dresser and had a client pick up a table I refinished for her. So it was pretty busy, but it felt good to get so much done. Oh, and I finished up Emmy's tea table, with the reveal coming tomorrow!

Before I get to my piece for today, I wanted to let you know about a new party in town, that just started TODAY! My good blog friend Sharon at Elizabeth & Co is starting a new party where you can link up whatever is inspiring you..... furniture makeovers, crafts, recipes, thrifty finds and more! Click on the button to get there!

Anyhow, let's talk about the piece that the client picked up, since that is what I will be sharing here. Recently, I shared a plywood topped coffee table I finished for the same client. She also brought me this table, which was factory finished, made in China, but I knew we could make it look less "factory". Here is the photo she originally emailed me....

I sanded the painted body of the piece, and I gave the top a nice thorough sanding to get all of the stain off. Unfortunately, it was pressed wood, so the sides show that slightly, but the top came out beautifully. I used Minwax gel stain in aged oak. The body was primed and then painted with Sherwin Williams Alabaster, and then it was lightly distressed and wiped with Minwax golden oak for an aged effect. The top was also sealed with Minwax wipe-on poly in satin. I did not put the hardware back on because she will be changing it. But here is the after- not dramatic by any means, but it looks like a much better quality piece now!

So let's see what you have been up to?

Remember there are rules.
1. No etsy shops or the like.
2. Your post MUST BE A FINISHED FURNITURE PROJECT. (NO CRAFTS!)
3. Your project must be a new link to one of my parties- never before seen here!
4. You must add a text link or my button to your post or sidebar.
5. Leave others some comment love!

Battling Bad Behavior & A Glimpse into Emmy's Room

2012-01-09T07:00:00.001-05:00

This is a different kind of post for me today. In general, I consider myself to be lucky to have two very spirited, energetic, and social children. However, with all of the changes our family has gone through over the last 6 months, Sawyer has had some behavioral issues at school over the last month. We are doing our best to modify his behavior with positive reinforcement. Here is a little teaser of what we are up to to fix it...

For all the details head on over to the DIY Club!

In other news, I thought I would share a couple glimpses of Emmy's room with you. I plan to paint it this Spring in Benjamin Moore's Palladian Blue seen here:

In the meantime, I have been working on some other things in her room and thought I would share what I can. I also redid a piece that I can't share until Annapolis Home comes out in March/April. I wish I could!!!

Last weekend I hit the outlets and found a fabulous set (the LAST set) of papier mache antlers at the Pottery Barn outlet. They were $19.99 plus an additional 20 percent off. I wasn't sure what I was going to do above Emmy's bed yet, but when I saw those, I knew they were perfect. And fake, which is all I can do when it comes to antlers. I had a large white frame in my stash that was just the right size to frame them out.

Also, here is a little glimpse of a table I redid a couple summers ago that fits perfectly as her nightstand.

The room is coming along and I am really loving it! It is not at all what I had originally planned, but at least that gave us a jumping off point. Then the room just took a life of its own, and I can't wait to see it all complete!

A New Before & After Party and POWW Faves

2012-01-07T06:00:00.001-05:00

My friend Lisa at Shine Your Light is hosting a new party! Each month you will link up your "before" images of pretty much anything you want to work on. At the end of the month, you link up your hopefully completed project! :)
I am joining the party this month with a table I am going to redo for Emmy's room. It's her little "tea table" as I call it, where she and her friends can have tea parties. Here is what it looks like now (this photo was taken the week we moved in- it's the round brown-blah-in-need-of-love table you see on the right)

So head over to Lisa's to link up your own before!

Now let's get to POWW faves! You people really know how to start the year out with a bang! I think we are all refreshed creatively, and excited for the new year and new start.
Oh how I love this glossy peacock blue dresser from Decor Adventures. Everything about it makes me feel tingly all over.
This playful set from Double Take Decor would make any child happy. And me. It makes me happy, too.
This sideboard from Fabulously Flawed has me seeing green!
I have to admit I don't love al the bed to bench makeovers out there... I just want my benches to look like benches. I know that is weird, but that's just me. This bed-to-bench transformation from The Hollie Rogue blows me away though. So warm and rustic- I love it! Ok, well I can't seem to click on her pictures, but go see it- I promise it is worth it! Hollie, if you read this, email me a picture of it!
Jacqueline from Simple Home Life made a mistake with her stencil, but worked it all out in her favor and recovered it with an awesome stripe! I love these!
And finally, I am a fan of pretty much everything Allison from Fab Rehab does, but I think she picked the most winning color combination for this cabinet. it's sleek, vintage, yet modern, and I love it.
I am headed to IKEA this morning for some playroom organization. And then I plan to work on the aforementioned table. Have a wonderful weekend!!!

Friday Guest: Lisa from A Vintage Vine

2012-01-06T05:30:00.000-05:00

Happy first Friday of the new year! How is that first week of resolutions going??? All is well here! I am just really excited about all this year holds for me. I know it's going to be a good one.
I am really excited to have Lisa from A Vintage Vine as the first guest of the year. It's rather fitting because she is so sweet and like a breath of fresh air and a great source of positive energy. I have followed Lisa's blog for quite some time and am always blown away by her style. I have gotten to know her quite well over the last year, too, and am so happy to have her as a friend. She has a very cool project to share with you, but before I let her do that, I want to brag about her a little bit and show my favorite glimpses from her home (which is on the market by the way!)
You can click here for her home tour, but here are my favorites....
The dining room. Sigh!

The entry....

Lisa and I also share a fondness for our friend Ali's shop. Lisa has several items from the shop, but here is her Thanksgiving banner below her awesome painted mirror...

Alright, enough of my yammering! Let's get to your guest, Lisa!

Good Morning fans of Cassie and her wonderful blog! Cassie's blog was one of the first blogs I ever read....WOW, was I hooked after that first visit!....A day rarely goes by, that I don't head over here for inspiration. I am sure you feel the same. Cassie, I am honored to be here guest posting for you, THANKS!
For those of you who do not know me......I am Lisa, from A Vintage Vine, a self proclaimed DIY'er...Most days you can find me at my blog, knee deep in projects, gardening and kids....I hope you come join me on some of those adventures.
Today, I wanted to show you my latest furniture makeover.....I can't believe this one did not involve paint! HAHA! Usually, paint is my furniture makeover tool of choice......Even though paint was not used, I did use these pretty little industrial wheels found in the hardware department of your local hardware store.....They were a grand total of $16 for all four..

I added them to this antique travel trunk.....

To make a new coffee table in my living room.....

I have had this antique wicker trunk for several years and it has always been used for storage.....I wanted to give it some new life, change it's function and make it more versatile but at the same time NOT alter it's originality.....I thought using it as a coffee table would do just that and adding the industrial wheels gave it the pizzazz it needed.......Since the bottom of the trunk was braced with wood the wheels were easy to attach with 4 screws in each corner.

Here is a final look......Hope you enjoyed this furniture makeover...Using these industrial wheels was so easy my mind is spinning on other ways to use them too....How about you?!

Thanks again to Cassie for having me over!

A Valentine's Wreath

2012-01-05T17:01:00.004-05:00

I had NO plans on making a Valentine's Day wreath today, friends. No plans. Emmy and I drove to our favorite thrift shop and found lots of great treasures! We came home with 5 vintage children's books (sorry, but these will be used for crafts!), a book for her, a couple of vintage resin kitchen vegetables for the wall which I will paint, 5 vintage glasses to use for candles, and a heart-shaped straw wreath! I spent $5.50 on all of that. I love that place.

Anyhow, I decided to make a yarn wrapped Valentine's wreath. I went to my craft closet and pulled out my yarn. I found a bumpy cream colored yarn that was perfect, and more importantly, that I had enough of. Emmy and I whiled away the last hour before picking Sawyer up at the bus stop watching a movie and wrapping the wreath. Here is the wrapped wreath...

Once it was wrapped it was ready for embellishments. I went to my craft closet and was going to use felt to make felt flowers, but I have a GIANT stash of vintage ornaments in all sizes, and lots of pinks and reds. Aren't the little vintage angels so cute?

I use them for decorations and fillers at Christmas, and planned to make an ornament wreath (but that didn't happen!). I also had lots of silver and gold tinsel pipecleaners left. I had used them to decorate trees in our Christmas snow globe jars we gave as gifts to teachers, and I also used several to make my heart garland yesterday. I still had enough left. I used two twisted together to create the word "Love" to attach as well. I used my hot glue gun to attach the word in the upper left, and a trio of pretty colored small vintage ornaments in the bottom right. Here is the finished product!

The hardest part of this wreath is definitely the wrapping in yarn, but I think it was worth it. I can't wait to get to work on my other thrifty finds! Have you found anything good lately that inspired a spur of the moment craft? And do you notice that I tend to work in spurs of the moment often for my crafts? I like to fly by the seat of my pants, live on the edge, live dangerously! Watch out because you just never know when I will whip out my glue gun!

String of Hearts

2012-01-05T06:00:00.007-05:00

Yesterday was cold. Not just cold, but the kind of cold that if you thought it was a good idea to haul out the heaviest maple dresser you have and work on it, you would find that in under 5 minutes your fingers would hurt so much and be immobile. Not that I know from experience, just sayin'.

When it is that cold outside, it's perfect for some indoor crafting. Now that I know where everything is in my craft space, it was easy for me to find exactly what I needed: gold and silver pipe cleaners. I pinned this simple heart garland on pinterest yesterday via Suzy.

I loved the sweet simplicity of it, and thought it would be perfect to add a touch of Valentine's Day to the chalkboard in my dining room. I wanted to add some glam and just use silver and gold though, as I love those colors against the blue of the frame. The whole thing took about 5 minutes, it was SO easy. My dogs could probably make one, too. In fact, that gives me an idea....

Anyhow, All I did was take one silver pipe cleaner and fold it in half to create the bottom point of a heart. Then I molded each side of the heart with the rest and twisted the ends together to form the center. Then I took a gold pipe cleaner and wove it through the silver heart and repeated. I continued in this pattern until I had enough. Super easy, but I think it adds a nice touch of sparkle and simple elegance.

I used to say, "What did I do before blogs?" Now I say, "What did I do before Pinterest?"

While I worked on this project, I listened to some beautiful, soft music. Megan of Homemade Ginger introduced me to The Civil Wars. They are a duo that writes and sings beautifully haunting songs. Here is one of my favorites from the album I purchased, Barton Hollow. Enjoy!

Sharing here

Inspired by Carmel

2012-01-04T06:00:00.021-05:00

I really didn't know what my first "house project" of 2012 was going to be. Having just moved into this house in October, there are SO many things I want to do! I was thinking of doing a wall treatment in the hallway, or maybe painting the guest bathroom vanity. On the bottom of my to-do list was turn the guest room closets into a craft storage/work area for myself. As it was, all my craft supplies were down in the basement on shelves (and some of it had exploded all over the floor over the past month!). I would carry everything I needed upstairs to the dining room to work. Then I carried it back down the stairs when I had to put away. It was not ideal.

The yesterday, I saw Carmel's craft closet and the inspiration hit me and I got to work. Here is Carmel's prettily organized closet....

And hey, what do you know, it is in her guest room, too, and I just noticed our guest rooms have very similar bedding! Ha!

I committed one of the seven deadly blogging sins and did not take a before picture. But imagine behind these doors that there are loads of knick knacks, photos, frames, basically anything I didn't have a place for.

It was a huge waste of space, and look at all that room! I knew it could be the solution to my problem. I should also say that this makeover was NO COST because everything I used I had on hand. I brought up my IKEA desk, a dry sink that had not sold, and pretty much every art supply, and all the art supply containers I had on hand plus some extra vintage storage containers.

And After:

Here is the closet on the right....

As you can see, I created a bit of a gallery wall in there above the desk. This is made up of things that inspire me and make me happy, and my most favorite color palette.

Below the desk sits all of my magazine files.

And to the left of the desk all of my drawer liners and wrapping paper are organized in trash can bins, and there is a crate filled with gift bags filed by category.

Above the desk, I have all of my IKEA boxes. And yes, I can reach them all, so that is not an issue. I have very long go-go-Gadget arms.

Now, if only that had been enough.... but it wasn't! So the left closet also houses craft supplies.
Here it is with the drysink, all my fabric rolled on the top shelf, and baskets and a crate holding more floral/Christmas crafts. And I still need to do something to the wall behind it but I am not sure what yet.

The top features buttons in a vintage jar, paint brushes in a coffee can, and a couple of little happies. In the sink area I have all my paints and threads (in a tray). And the paints are divided in an odd manner because I keep all my DecoArt products separate from the rest since I use them for The DIY Club.

In the bottom section, the top shelf houses stencils and fan decks. The bottom shelf houses boxes of some smaller supplies and a vintage locker bin filled with Styrofoam pieces.

To the left of the drysink is all of my silhouette supplies in a vintage metal basket.

And to the right are my silhouette and my sewing machine.

I feel SO much better now that all of my crafts are organized! I am ready to take on the WORLD! or at least tackle a craft project. :)

Sharing at these awesomesauce parties:

Piece of Work Wednesday Furniture Link Party Number 69!

2012-01-03T16:00:00.005-05:00

So you may remember that for a while I was searching high and low for my new sideboard. On a tip from my good friend, Andi, I sent Chris to a Goodwill store on his way home one day. He called to let me know, no such luck- the piece she had told me about was gone. Wanting to make his trip worth it though, he found a great side table for me!

I am sharing all the makeover details over at The DIY Club today, but will give you a quick before and after here.

Before:

And after:

So I guess this table is my first redo of 2012! That's kind of exciting, right? Ok, maybe not.

What is exciting though is that The DIY Club's monthly project party is under way! You can win loads of awesomely useful prizes! Just click on the button to check it out!

Let's see what you've got!

RULES:

1. FURNITURE projects only- no crafts!

2. Must be a new link here- can be old to your blog, but never before linked here.

3. Must be a follower.

4. Place my button or a text link in your post or sidebar.

5. No Etsy shops!

Please leave others some comment love and party on!

Sharing here:

Lucky Little Oliver

2012-01-02T06:00:00.001-05:00

Over the past couple of years I have made so many friends through this blog, and for that I am eternally grateful. There are a few friends who I consider to by part of my family, no matter how many miles separate us. I met Ali, who I consider to be amazing, talented, creative, beautiful inside and out and a true friend. Well this past year, Ali's twin sister, Lisa started a blog as well, and I was thrilled to get to know her. Then in September I was able to meet both ladies in person.

Lisa, me, Ali at the Rose Bowl Flea

And they accepted me with open arms as a friend and a part of their family. Like Ali, Lisa is beautiful, sweet, talented, and creative. What is interesting is that their styles cross over in some ways, but Ali's is more cozy and cottagey, and Lisa has more of a modern edge. Both ladies know how to create and put a room together.

Lisa is due to have her first baby, Oliver, in February. She has designed a gorgeous, whimsical, and fun nursery for him that I had to share. It's amazing and perfect! I borrowed all of these images straight from her blog.

Is it not amazing? Oliver is one lucky baby! To me, this nursery is the perfect blend of whimsy, natural and rustic elements, and modern lines, too. It's just amazing. I know Oliver is coming into this world already loved by so many, including his Aunt Cassie. I can't wait to meet him!

To see more details and photos, head over to Lisa's blog! Happy Monday!

New Year's Resolutions

2012-01-01T06:00:00.001-05:00

I know it is cliche and I don't always stick with them (and I am totally ok with that!) but I always like to set New Year's resolutions. To me, they are more of "guidelines" for better behavior. By nature, I am a dreamer, so I always have a list a mile long of things I would love to do! But I try to keep my resolutions within reach.... don't let that magic balloon of hope fly to far out of my reach!

Via

1. Eat better. Now this resolution is overdone, but I have thought a lot about trying to eat more responsibly, along with healthier. I want to eat more natural foods because I know I will feel better and be healthier.

Via

2. Take it slow. I tend to run full force into my projects, and I want to take time to enjoy the process and really think it all through. I plan to be in this house for a loooooong time, so I have time to work on it.

Via

3. Give more hugs. Hugs just make people happier. There must be some study somewhere that proves this theory, but I know that hugs are part of the key to happiness.

Via

4. Keep up with the gratitude journals I gave my family- another key to happiness.

Via

5. Just let it go. So there is a mess in the playroom. There is a mess in Emmy's room. Let it go for today. It's OK.

Via

6. Mail little handmade gifts to my friends for their birthdays. I love surprises in the mail, and I know my friends will, too. And I want them to know that even though we aren't always together, I am always keeping them in my heart.

Via

7. Spread positive energy. I try really hard to do that on this blog. And I want to make sure I do that out in the world, too. Cheesy? Yes. Effective. YES!

Via

As for blogging I don't have any goals, I am really happy with the way things have gone and I just want to maintain the friendships I have made. As for business, pretty much the same.... I do have some exciting news coming soon, but I plan to not let myself put any pressure on... myself! I also do not plan on giving up my coffee habit or anything dramatic like that. I like my coffee. Yes, there are 7 resolutions, but I am not going to pressure myself or feel badly if I failed on one or more. I am going to do my best, and that is all I can ask of myself.

And since so many people out there are choosing words to resonate with them throughout the year, my word is....

choose

i choose to be better.
i choose to be a good wife and mom.
i choose to tread lightly.
i choose to be happy.
i choose to sing.
i choose to dance.
i choose to create.
and mostly, i choose to be me.

We all have choices. What will you choose in 2012?

New Gallery Wall and POWW Faves!

2011-12-31T06:00:00.003-05:00

So Thursday I planned to hang the poster I gave Chris behind one of the couches in the living room. Hanging there when we moved in was a builder grade mirror. Lovely. You can't see it in this picture, but it was over on the right wall. This picture was taken a couple days after we moved in....

Well, if you give a pig a pancake she will probably want some syrup. And if I hang one picture, I will probably want to create a gallery wall. And help blend in those vents. So up went the poster, and then I sorted through frames and photos we had on hand, mixed in with some graphic artwork, a few vintage owls, a letter "B", and we had ourselves a gallery wall in no time! Pardon the pictures; because of the big window on the other side I had to maneuver all over to avoid a glare!

While I was in there, I also played with the mantle. I have put away "Christmas" decor, but left out "Winter" decor because Emmy's birthday party will be in 3 weeks and the theme is "Winter Woodland". So here is the mantle now, a mix of mercury glass, silver, and white. And yes, I still have two gifts to give!

I just love little woodland animals. I found that deer at Goodwill and painted him white and am pretty much in love with him. It's the simple things, isn't it?

Ok, now on to POWW Faves! I am going to share 10 projects with you because let me tell you- choosing my favorites from your own personal bests this year is a real challenge. Everyone linked up amazing and unique projects. So if yours wasn't featured- do not feel bad! I was at a loss with how to choose. I actually told Katie that I was going to use Sawyer's new suction dart Nerf gun to shoot at the computer screen and where it landed would be a fave!

This campaign dresser from Katie at Wildwood Creek haunts me. I want it. I may have to go toher home, break in, steal it, and run! She will never know I was there, and I will just have to avoid sharing it on my blog. :) Muah ha ha!

This Map Settee from FrouFrugal is so chic! I feel like I would be automatically smarter just by sitting on it. And wearing my glasses.

European paint finishes always does a beautiful job with weathered pieces, as on this dresser.

This Dresser from a little bit o'Shizzle is one of several amazing makeovers... Shelly has serious talent and style!

Karin at Art is Beauty is insanely talented as well, and often does beautiful hand-painted pieces like this nightstand.

This table from Decor & The Dog still makes me weak in the knees... When I take my trip to steal Katie's dresser, my next stop will be Iowa for this table Michelle's husband made! I'm a-comin'!

I love this table on the map chest from Vintage Shabby Chicks!

This Highboy from Ali at My Third True Love is awesome... The color and those legs!

I love the whimsy of this fun door table from Embracing Change. I would like to embrace the table.

And finally, a new blog to me this year was Turnstyle Vogue, and I a, constantly impressed with Shari's creativity. Love the spin she put on these tree stump tables.

And now, my friends, picking my faves was harder to do than running a marathon. I better go carb up.

Thank you all again for your friendship, support, and camaraderie over this past year of blogging! I am looking forward to keeping in touch with you all and making new friends in 2012! It's going to be a great year.... I can feel it! Happy New Year's!!!

Friday Guest: Lesley from The Homeless Finch

2011-12-30T05:30:00.000-05:00

Happy Friday! And not just any old Friday.... Today is the last Friday of 2011!! Do you have any fun New Year's Eve plans? We have two other couples that are neighbors coming over so no one has to drive. All the kids will be here, too, so there will be 7 kiddos under the roof. We are looking forward to a nice low-key and fun night!
That also means that this Friday's guest is my last guest of the year, and we are ending with a bang! Don't worry- the series will continue next year, too! Today I have Lesley from The Homeless Finch. Lesley is a talented artist, and creative mastermind! She is also a big ol' sap like me and we share many conversations on our emotions and the fierce love of family we share (the love, not the family- we aren't related!). And oh, look WHO I found over at her blog....

And check out her beautiful, warm and light master bedroom....

Without further ado, I would like to introduce my friend, Lesley!

Hello friends! My name is Lesley of The Homeless Finch. I am so excited to meet all of Cassie's friends and followers and share a little something about my blog. This year was the inaugural year for The Homeless Finch and what I year it has been! First a little about me...
I am a studio artist, mother of two teenagers, married to my best friend and living in sunny S. Florida in the shadow of a lighthouse. Well, not really in THE shadow, but hey, that sounded pretty cool. So, okay. I live near a lighthouse.

I have been a DIY, decorating nut since I was a teen. I built birdhouses out of spare wood during my summers as a child. In college I decorated my room like a magazine was coming to take pictures. Having owned, lived in and sold seven homes since 1988, I have had my fair share of projects. I love vintage furniture & collectibles, antiques, shabby chic, farmhouse & french country designs. Old things fascinate me.

I am a trash picker, a curb rescue maven...in other words...I am a trash to treasure-aholic! No doubt that many of my neighbors' confused glances my way have something to do with it. Perhaps I will invite them over someday to explain. Or maybe I won't!!
I earned my BFA in Studio Art from Florida Atlantic University in 2007. I paint, sew, design ,build, display... Oh...and write. The degree just validated me. At the time I thought I needed it. Silly, I know.
Here is an image of one of my latest completed paintings.

"Wind and Rain Bear Fruit" by Lesley Litrento

(5' x 3')

Here are some of the highlights from my last year though pictures. If you want to see the individual post, just click the image. I chose mostly furniture since that is what Cassie is all about. My blog is also about thrifting, crafting with a sprinkle of everyday humor that I call 'Ponderings from The Finch.' Just a taste...

A Secretary Desk

My Mother's Cherished Chest of Drawers Updated

My Hall Tree Given the Lighten Up Treatment

My Sister's Teacher Chair With Pizazz

My Master Bedroom Transformation

My Master Bathroom Transformation

Nightstand Roadkill Rescued

Antique Cabinet Gets A Chippy Finish

I finished the year with a 25 Day marathon of sorts, sharing all kind of Christmas and Holiday Ideas. I even created a button for the series. If you want to get a look at the series alone, you can click on the button and you will be taken to the 25 day series blog roll.

25 Days Of Christmas and Holiday Series

I want to THANK Cassie for having me today as a guest. Hope you take a moment to come over to my blog and check it out! Also, don't let me forget to wish you...

A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

-The End-

My Top 10 Home Decor Projects of 2011!

2011-12-28T06:01:00.011-05:00

I just shared with you my furniture round up in my previous post. Now time for a round up of my favorite home decor projects of 2010! They are in no particular order, but I have them separated by new and old house since we moved out of the old house in August and into the new one in October (and in with my parents in between!)

Here are some from the old house....

Bright Yellow Front Door

Emmy's Room (which is by the way SO different from what you will soon see in 2012 of her new room!)

Blue Danube Bathroom

Family Room/Craft Nook Reveal

Stenciled Wall

And from the new house....
Painted Mantle

The Guest Room

Styling the Newly Painted Bookcases

Stripes in the Dining Room

Nature's Decoration: October Snow! I loved seeing the new house covered in snow! I had always dreamed of owning a Cape Cod style home- so charming!

And there are my top 10 home decor projects of 2011! Can you see a difference between house 1 and house 2 with style? I don't know about you but my own decorating style seems to be constantly evolving and changing. But then again, I am only human, and I, too, am constantly changing and evolving. Looking forward to continuing to grow and evolve in 2012!
Sharing here:

My Top 10 Furniture Projects of 2011

2011-12-28T06:00:00.011-05:00

This blog tends to be sometimes a smorgasbord of stuff, so I am going to do my favorite posts in two parts: my top 10 furniture projects, and my top ten home decor/design projects

In no particular order, here are my top 10 furniture projects!

Orange Dresser

Aqua Sideboard

The Chalkboard Birdie Armoire

Newburg Green Dresser

Ombre Dresser

Black Sideboard

Paris Gray Bed

The Campaign Dresser

Guest Room Dresser

Henrietta Pink Dresser

And that is a round up of my favorite pieces of 2010!

Sharing here:

Piece of Work Wednesday Furniture Link Party Number 68: Show Us Your Best Furniture Projects of 2011!!

2011-12-27T16:00:00.001-05:00

Alright folks! This is the last POWW of 2011, so I want to see your best furniture projects of 2011!!! You may link up to 3 projects. I can't wait to see them! I am going to share my own favorite furniture project from the past year.
My most favorite is honestly the sideboard I shared just last week, but since that was fresh in your minds, I dug back and found my second favorite. Last January, I completed this vintage armoire, and added the chalkboard and little birdie to it.

Your turn! READ the rules as they are slightly different this week!

1. Must be a follower to party here.
2. Place my button or a text link in your post or sidebar.
3. No Etsy shops or crafts: Furniture projects only!
4. You may link up to 3 projects.

This should be fun- I can't wait to see your favorite picks!

Christmas 2011 in Review and Handmade Gifts

2011-12-26T09:19:00.004-05:00

We had what Emmy called "THE BEST CHRISTMAS EVER" several times, and I am going to call it that as well. We had so much fun! Christmas Eve began with brunch at my parents' house with several neighbors, even friends from high school and some of my brother's friends from college. It was yummy, fun, and the kids all had a ball playing together. One of my very good friends brought our family hand-crocheted items she made for us! I snapped some pictures on my phone quickly so I could share....

Sawyer in his new dinosaur hat and scarf. It has a few spikes on the hat which are SO cool! He wore this for about 3 hours after he opened it!

Emmy received a pink, white, and brown monkey had and scarf which are adorable! She couldn't get the hat on the right way and I was in the passenger seat and couldn't fix it, but you get the idea!

I received a funky floppy gray hat perfect for me..... nice self portrait for you!

And Chris received a gorgeous blue scarf, but he was driving so I couldn't get it on him for a picture, but he tried it on as soon as we got home and it is awesome! She is SO talented. She takes the train to DC for work and uses that time for her crocheting.

After brunch was over, we headed home to prepare for Christmas Eve dinner at our house, which was a super easy, healthy, and delicious potato soup, bread, my go-to salad of spinach, dried cranberries, apples, walnuts, blue cheese, and a lemon honey vinaigrette. This was all followed by yummy LOBSTER! We had my parents, my brother and his girlfriend and our own four all here. It was so wonderful to spend time all together.

Now our tradition is to open all gifts to each other on Christmas Eve, so that Santa has Christmas morning all to himself. I wanted to share some glimpses from Christmas Eve and some of the fun hand made gifts we gave each other.

Here are the kids in their matching pj's! :)

I used a T-Shirt Chris bought me at Hot Topic (his place of employment) to make Viri and Dana this pillow for their house. Viri loves mustaches, so I thought it would be funny. She couldn't wait to use it on the plane ride home today, too! She planned on using it to talk to the flight attendants.... "Excuse me, I mustache you a question."

Sawyer could not be parted from his lego book, even to open other gifts.

I was here: Christmas 2011!

And Chris was there, too!

Viri and Dana gave Emmy her very fist Caboodle complete with makeup and nail polish, so here are the girls talking make-up.

Sawyer is a big Ravens fan (influenced by peers at school!) and was thrilled to get a football and his first ever real football jersey!

Emmy also received an awesome princess set from my friend Sandie that she has been using to make bracelets, necklaces, and find fun hairdos for Gramma to try on her.

After the fun of Christmas Eve, the kids fell right to sleep. They woke around 7 on Christmas morning, but we made them wait til everyone was awake and coffee was made to go downstairs and open presents from Santa. I missed the picture of the kids running in.... it came out blurry. But I asked them to reenact their surprise for me. Sawyer is a talented actor.

They had so much fun opening presents from Santa and were happy with their gifts.

I wanted to share some of the handmade gifts we received. Friends of ours gave us adorable ornaments for the doggies! The dogs also received awesome new pottery dishes from my brother and Viri from a studio in LA. They are gorgeous! Our dogs are spoiled!

Ali made these new additions for my tree. The pom pom ornaments says "May 2012" because that is when Ali comes to visit for an entire week and we are all just a little excited about it. Just a little.

My mom gave me several hand-made gifts. She is so talented and creative....

I received two of these, one has "A Love Song" on it, and the other is "The Haunted Hour" which will be perfect for Halloween next year!

This big cheese box is beautifully decorated with roses she rolled out of newspaper! It will stay in our guest room - it looks perfect in there!

She made these awesome yarn wrapped trees and matching garland in my favorite colors!

And check out these fun arm warmers she made! Don't look at my bitten finger nails... just look at the pretty green warmers!

The kids holiday art gallery grew throughout the month as we added all the new pieces.

These are some of my favorite additions.
This piece was made by Sawyer at school.

And Emmy made this girl reindeer for me!

That's it! I will see you tomorrow for your best furniture projects of 2011!
And I will ba back later this week to share a year of my own favorite projects!
Hope you all had the Merriest of Christmases, and if you are traveling today I wish you safe and happy travels.

Merry Merry & POWW Faves

2011-12-24T06:00:00.001-05:00

We have had a wonderful week here at Casa Bustamante getting ready for Christmas. We ended the week today by heading to lunch with friends from our old town and then off to see Arthur Christmas. It was awesome!!!!!! If you get a chance go- the kids and adults loved it!

I also wanted to take this opportunity to wish you the MERRIEST of Christmases!
Christmas is a time to reflect on our year, and show the people we love how much we care.

Thank you so much for all your support, your friendship, and just reading this little ol' blog and joining me in this corner of the world. Over the last year I have gotten to know so many of you so well- some have become best friends I can't live without. Merry Christmas to you and yours. May the best be yet to come.

OK, enough of the sappy moments....
Here are this week's POWW faves!

I love this red Jenny Lind bed from Life on Walnut Street. Maybe it's the Christmas Spirit, but I love this red on this bed!

How fun is this happy yellow table from Picked & Painted? I just love it!

My son would adore this all-American Baseball table from A to being Creations! It's awesomely crafty!

The Magic Brush shared this gorgeous sideboard! How awesome is that teal?

And finally, the finish on this dresser from Honey Sweet Home looks darn near perfect! Gorgeous!

I will be back Monday, I am sure, because otherwise I will miss you, friends! ;)
May all your days be merry & bright! Love you!

Friday Guest: Carmel from Our Fifth House

2011-12-23T05:30:00.001-05:00

I am so excited about today's guest! She is sweet, beautiful, warm, and talented- the whole shebang! And I am lucky enough to have met her in real life as we discovered our families vacation in the same area! We met this past summer for coffee! See, here I am with the gorgeous Carmel of Our Fifth House... I am the taller doofy looking one. She is the beautiful tan one on the right. :)

We had so much fun and could have talked for hours and have kept in touch and are hoping to see each other again next summer, complete with a cookout with our families, too! At least that is what I want to do.
Anyhow, Carmel has a beautiful home in Kentucky. I adore her classic style mixed with bold designs and whimsy and metallics. Her home is currently decorated for Christmas and looks amazing....

I know you are going to love her like I do!

Hello Primitive & Proper peeps! I'm Carmel from Our Fifth House. Yes, we're living in our fifth house, and yes I'm a blog name genius. We've moved a lot, and we're finally home (we think at least). I thought starting a blog would help me to stay motivated to keep making this house a home. I never would have guessed that it would also bring so many wonderful people in to my life! Cassie and I went from blog friends to real life friends this past summer when she and I got to meet in person! She's such a sweetheart, and I hope we get to hang out again next year!

Since I'm such a huge fan of Cassie's fireplace makeover, I thought today I'd show you my own. This is a project I tackled just before Christmas last year (because I'm completely crazy like that). It's amazing to me what a difference a fireplace update can make in a room. I know a lot of people are afraid to paint brick ( I was too - at first) but if you don't love your brick why leave it that way? My fireplace started out looking like this.

That's White Beauty. She's part of our family. We live in Lexington, KY, otherwise known as the horse capital of the world, so she feels right at home. Anyhow, I wasn't crazy about our brown brick, so I decided to wash it in white.

You can read all the deets here. It was a pretty easy process and the end result really transformed the overall look of our fireplace. This is how it looked last year at Christmas right after I finished this project.

This Christmas I'm really in to more of a fun, whimsical look.

It's been just over a year since I white washed our brick fireplace and I still love it! I'm so glad that I bit the bullet and painted that brick! It made all the difference in our family room as it totally brightens up the entire space.

Thanks Cassie for having me over today! You are one of the best gifts my blog has given me! Merry Christmas friend, and Merry Christmas to all of you smart people that read my girl Cassie's blog!

Christmas Eve Tablescape

2011-12-22T14:00:00.001-05:00

The word tablescape is one that is rarely used on this blog because I usually don't put a ton of thought or effort into setting the table. I know- place the cone of shame around my neck now. Well, this Christmas Eve, my parents, my brother and his amazing girlfriend (Happy Birthday, Viri!) will all be having dinner with us and sleeping here so that they can experience Christmas morning with the kids. Thank goodness we finally have room for that many people to sleep over! Tomorrow I am taking the kids to a movie, Saturday we have Christmas Eve brunch at my parents, so I wanted to go ahead and get the table ready now since we will be hurrying home from my parents Saturday to prepare for dinner. (Lobster dinner- a tradition started 4 years ago!).

Emmy and I headed to the storage loft today and went through Nana's dishes to find what we needed... "fancy" dishes as Emmy called them. They are Lennox china that belonged to Nana. We also had beautiful crystal glasses that had belonged to her so we used those as well. We tied up white napkins with twine and a couple of ornaments for shine. I also had some fun tea cup place card holders I bought a few years ago at a holiday craft fair, so Emmy filled out names for me. Here is our table/dining room, ready for Christmas Eve dinner.

And that, my friends, is as fancy as it gets around here. :)

Because I had Time: Some Bonus Features

2011-12-22T06:00:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was a gray and rainy day. Sawyer was at school all day, and Emmy and I cleaned the house. And when I say "Emmy and I", I mean Emmy and I. The girl loves to be given a rag with cleaner on it and frankly does a better job of dusting than anyone else in my house. I just tell her which surfaces to get, and she clears them off and cleans, and then carefully places the items back where they went. The girl won't clean up her messes, but she will shine your surfaces! Anyhow, after we had finished cleaning we retired to the living room where we watched Christmas movies and she colored and I started going through The Nester's Holiday Home Tour Linky. I ended up staying up late so that I could get through all of them.... all 655 of them. Yes, I looked at every last link and commented on several! Thank goodness the presents are already wrapped because otherwise I would be in trouble. But let me tell you, it was SO inspiring and so fun to see all the homes decorated for Christmas. There were a couple that really stuck out at me, and were new to me blogs so I wanted to share them with you.

First, this home was my absolute favorite. I love everything about it! Sarah and Drew B. have one of the most beautiful homes I have ever seen. Check out these images from their blog...

Isn't it beautiful????? I love the white palette with the subtle pops of red.

Another blog that really jumped out at me was Simple Thoughts. This home is also beautifully decorated.

And look at that cute doggie!!! I love Goldens!

Now, wipe the drool off of your keyboard and go pay these blogs a visit. You won't be sorry!
I will be back tomorrow with a fabulous guest and real life friend! :)

A Special and Quick Last Minute Idea & Some Thank You's!

2011-12-21T06:00:00.002-05:00

First of all, I have been very lucky to have won some recent giveaways!

I won a giveaway from Pick Your Plum that Anna from Directions Not Included hosted. And actually, I was the second winner after the first never claimed the prize- so lesson to all of you! Follow up if you enter a giveaway! I was so excited when my box of craft goodies arrived and contained lots of fun stuff...

Seriously fun stuff! I already used the pack of cabochons and bobbies to create cute little bobbies for Emmy which will land in her stocking! Though I might have to borrow them from time to time!

I also won a giveaway for a very sweet print from Our Humble Abowed. I am going t show you their stock photo because mine is not framed yet. I plan to make a family gallery wall in our master, and this will be a nice addition! I won this print and selected the aqua color. It's even more gorgeous in person!

And I already told you about a giveaway I won over at Between Blue and Yellow which was for a poster print from Uprinting. I finally placed my order which will be a gift for my husband. I purchased a frame today, and this is the print that I ordered....

It will be the main focus of our family gallery wall in our bedroom.

This also leads me to my next point, (I feel like I am back in college writing an essay.... in conclusion.... lastly... therefore....thereafter....) which is that special framed photos also make great gifts. My own father is a very talented photographer. I do not even pretend to live up to his level. But I do have something that he doesn't have and that is easy access to my kids, as well as easy access to barns for backgrounds. :) I dressed the family as I wished in classic American outfits, and took them up to a barn I walk by every morning. And I had myself a little photo shoot. My father is receiving a set of 4 photos....

And so you can see them better, these are the images he will be receiving....

It was a real challenge to choose a picture of Emmy- she loves to work the camera! This one did not make the cut, but might be added to the family gallery wall! I love it!

So this was an inexpensive gift to put together for my Dad, but a very special one that I know he will appreciate.

Hope you are all having a wonderful week. I am enjoying the last days before Christmas is actually here. The presents have been wrapped, the gifts shipped and delivered to neighbors, schools, mail lady and more.... I can just relax, and sit by the tree and reflect on what a crazy year this has been. Crazy, but it has lead me here, to this spot on the couch by this tree in this beautiful house surrounded by people I love. And I am happy.