Chairs (what an exciting title!)

Last week I posted about our new dining room table that my oh-so-talented hubby made.

It turned out great, but our dilemma was finding chairs to go with it  ... on a very tight budget.

Over the weekend, my oh-so-smart hubby (same guy) suggested that we just paint the ones we already have.  I thought it was a brilliant idea, but I knew it would mean a lot of work ... the kind I am not that fond of.  Then my oh-so-kind hubby offered to do the sanding, priming and painting! 

I'm in love all over again!

We started with these:

And after lots of sanding and painting , we ended up with these:
We only had four dining room chairs to begin with, but our kitchen set had 2 extra chairs that we rarely use, so we just mixed it all up.  And now I present to you, our brand new dining room set:
Note: My husband did all of the hard work, but my poor pointer finger was pretty tired after this.  No, I know what you are thinking, not from pointing and giving directions.  I sprayed a clear seal on all of the chairs.  Whew.  I need a massage!

Chasing Butterflies

Oh to be a kid again, 

with nothing on my mind,

 just running around barefoot,

chasing butterflies.

Laughing and enjoying life,

waiting for the next adventure to begin.

I hope this week holds moments like these for you.  

Sometimes even adults need moments to just chase the butterflies.

Take a few minutes this week to savor, rest, and ENJOY life.

Blessings to you!!!

I run in the path of your commands (oh Lord!)

for you have set my heart free!

Psalm 119:32

Don't Blink

You don't know what will happen if you do:

I blinked and she grew up.  

Wasn't it was just yesterday she was driving her little barbie jeep?

Now she can do this: 

Now my Sugar knows how to shift gears, follow paths, and dodge trees.

She's very cautious yet adventurous (she gets it honest).

She took me for a ride and I could actually relax and enjoy the view.

Do you think she had fun?  

My eyes are drying out because I'm trying not to blink again.  If I do, she'll be old enough to drive the car.  Sniff, sniff .....

Decorating Oasis

Ready for some fun decorating ideas?

After you check out the ones below, scoot on over to the Nester where you will find all kinds of ideas.  She is having a blog party for window 'mistreatments' with lots of links to follow!

 

 We recently redecorated our downstairs bath.  I love the light that comes in the window above the shower, so I didn't want to cover it completely.  I was dying to use this fun fabric so I just used two shower curtain rods:

My daughter's bedroom has a very large double window.  I wanted to keep things soft, so rather than using a curtain rod, I simply covered a long pvc pipe with fabric.  This is only half of the window, obviously:

My manly man's one request when we built our house was that he have a 'trophy' room (he already has his trophy wife, hehe). In order to keep the room manly, yet warm, I made these window mis-treatments.  It is a cornice board (that he cut) wrapped in batting.  I then wrapped the whole thing in fabric and stapled the panels to the back of it.  Yep.  No lining.  Just seams and staples on those babies.  

We did the same thing with our bedroom windows: cornice boards wrapped and stapled with batting and fabric.  BTW: this is the 3rd fabric these babies have been covered in.  I told you I like change!
My most recent 'mistreatment' has a funny story.  Last summer we gave my mom a metal gazebo for her birthday.  It was great and enjoyed by all.  Unfortunately, we had a huge windstorm this early spring and it toppled the whole thing over their fence.  Most of it was bent and damaged beyond repair.  She did, however, salvage the four corners.  She asked me if I'd like to have one of the corners to use as a lattice for my garden.  Of course, I jumped on that!

But after looking at it, I decided it had a better purpose: 
We split the L-shaped corner in half and put them on either side of our foyer window.  Since it is on the 2nd story, and only accessible by ladder, I wanted something that wouldn't attract much dust (i.e. fabric).  It was only after we got them up, did I realize the scrollwork matched our chandelier! 

Tableworks

We've been working on a project around here.  

Shocked.  I'm sure.

(Not really if you know my man.)

Our current dining room table has many special memories attached to it.   It was the dining table that my parents had when I was growing up. Lots of laughter and good food have been shared on it. While it has definitely served its purpose, it does have one fault.  It only seats 6 comfortably.  Since we have 5 people in our family, that means that special occasions can only include 1 more person if we use that table. What's a party with only one guest?!

Not too special (or realistic).

So I mentioned to my handy man (aka husband) that I would really like to have a dining table that could seat 8-10.  Since he already showed his skill with the coffee table, I knew he could do it.  

Take a look:

I wanted that old farmhouse feel.  Nothing fancy.  Something that we could use with the kids and not worry about the finish.  He painted it black, (oh yeah, and BUILT it!!!) and then handed the project over to me:
First I roughed the edges.  By hand ... whoa.  Way too much time and work. So I tried this:
Oh yeah, much better.  Now I know why they call them POWER tools.  I felt so powerful using it!  After about an hour, I told my man that it would have been much easier to just let the kids sit at it for a week.  All those 'distressed' marks would have shown up naturally.  
Amazing how much work it takes to make something new look old!  

After sanding, distressing, and sanding again, I cleaned it with a damp cloth.

Then I applied a dark stain to the distressed places:  

I was very pleased with the outcome.  I'm telling you, my sorry picture doesn't do it justice.  It looks black in real-life with little bits of stained wood showing through here and there.

Now I need to find chairs.  Hmm... any ideas?

Are You a Lurker?

Help me out.  I've had this little counter thingy added to my blog to get an idea of how many 'hits' I get in a day.  Since mid July I've had about 3000!  However, by looking at my comments, you'd never guess.  

I know that the beauty of  blogworld is that you can anonymously peruse.  

I LOVE that feature!!! 

Lately, I've had several (unexpected) people say that they lurk on my blog and enjoy it.  It totally takes me by surprise, and I think, how did you even know I had a blog?  Small world!

Here's the thing.  I often type what's on my mind: kids, decorating, spiritual thoughts, funny moments etc...  

Sometimes my mind is blank (like this week, for instance!) 

I'd really like to know your thoughts. 

So with that said, can I ask a favor of you?  

Can you please leave me a comment today?

Just click on the little place under this post that says comments.

It will let you do it anonymously.  Trust me, it's easy.

Here is what I'd like to hear in the comment section:

1. If  you choose to do the anonymous thing, let me know how I know you: personally or just through bloggyworld

(i.e.  know you through church, or i.e. found you through the Nester)

2. What your favorite kind of posts are

(i.e. decorating ideas)

See.  I'm not asking too much.  Just a little love for your sista!

Tour Time

I thought I'd share some pics from my BFF's home.  Visiting her last weekend was so refreshing.  Not only did we have tons of girly fun, but I felt so 'at home.'  Every time I visit her, I come away with new ideas: 

Isn't this a great place to put your phone?  Much more inviting than stuck on a desk (like mine).

She's very good at accessorizing.  I heart that big wicker platter thingy.
These greeted me in the bathroom.  I say the back of the toilet is a perfect spot to display stuff! (Especially when there is a live gerber daisy involved!)
Isn't this just the kind of cozy spot you want to sit down and read a book?  This is her screened porch, that looks out on her pool.  Ferns and terra cotta bunnies were scattered on the other side.  Ahh... pass the sweet tea and lemon bars.
Shabby chic.  Cottage charm. Whatever you want to call it.  

I say ... DARLIN!

This is her girls' bathroom.  Maybe this is where I'll sit down and read my book (or, er, magazine) ... so many choices!

Each of these rooms held such charm and warmth.  I felt like I was taking photos for Southern Living home tours.  

My tour guide was SO handsome, but a little on the quiet side:

Couldn't you just eat him up?!

Summer Recommendations

For your tasting pleasure:

I'm telling you, the commercials are true.  Give it two weeks and you will have a new, ahem, digestive tract!  It is delicious with fresh fruit and granola on top.

For a fun afternoon with the kids:

It was SO sweet.  Sparked a lengthy conversation about the Depression on the way home with my 7 & 9 year old.  I love history!

For your listening pleasure:
I love every song on this CD.  Finally a female in the Christian music world who can rock it!

For your viewing pleasure:
I laugh out loud every time I watch this.  A recent episode was about their h.s. reunion (from 1993) and it was hilarious!  Note: you have to be at least 30ish to 'get it'.

Second note: most episodes are good, clean fun

For your reading pleasure:
This is a great find.  Not finished reading it yet, but it has real, fresh,concrete ideas.  One half of the book is dedicated to specific parenting issues and creative ways to deal with it (i.e. fighting in the car).  Perfect for parents with kids ages 2-18!

Tasting the Clouds

Today was a day of big puffy white clouds set against that famous Carolina blue sky.

My little man was examining them from the backseat.  Here is the conversation that transpired:

Son: Mom, when we get to heaven, will we be able to touch the clouds?

Mom: Ummm... I don't know, but that would be fun wouldn't it?

Son: When I get to heaven, can I taste the clouds?

Mom: Oohh, what a good idea, what if they taste like cotton candy?

Son: Can God taste the clouds?

Mom: Ummm...

Son: I'm gonna ask Him when I get there.

Mom: That's a great idea.

Son: Does God eat in heaven?

Mom: Ummm....

Son: I'm gonna ask Him.

Mom: Okay!

Son: If we eat in heaven, can I sit next to Jesus?

Mom:  Sure!  (My answers are amazing, I know)

Son: I don't want to be old when I go to heaven.  I want to be a kid.

Mom: (Please, God, NO.)

Son: Mom, are you going to be an old lady sometime?

Mom: Oh, no time soon. (Well, sooner than planned if these kind of questions keep coming)

Son: I don't want to be an old man.

Mom: But old men are SO cute!

Son: Who else is in heaven?  Oh, David?

Mom: You mean like David and Goliath?

Son: Yeah.  Is he an old man in heaven?

Mom: Ummm... well, in heaven we will get new bodies so ...

Son: Hey remember when David used his sling shot... I've got a sling shot.

Mom: Umhm

Son: Remember after he used the sling shot and then he took his cool sword and...

Mom: Hey!  Look at those clouds!  What do you think they taste like?

Where Have You Been?

Is that what you are wondering?

Well ... I got to go away BY MYSELF to visit my college roommate and cram in all the stuff a girls' weekend is supposed to be made of:

1.Shopping at a very large outlet mall

2.Visiting every TJMaxx, Homegoods, and Hobby Lobby within a 40 mile radius.

3.Eating dinner at 8pm (you know we didn't have kids with us at that hour!) at Sushi 101 (I don't actually eat sushi, but I felt so cool eating at a place with a name like that!)

4.Staying up until:

(She had these roses by my bed ... she's a true Southern Belle, full of hospitality.)

5.Then we relaxed here:
We took a dip at 11pm (... who does that?) in her brand new pool.  Ahhh.

6.Drove to SC to a fab-u-lo-so fabric store:

 We both walked away with some great fabric (more to come, later)

7.We found the deal of the century on a huge black framed mirror on the way (more of that to come too!)

8.We laughed and chatted until my jaws hurt.

9. She pampered me:

Girhadelli dark mint chocolates for my NCC (see previous post for explanation), gerber daisies (my fave) in the bathroom, and some treasures for my home (pics to come).

!!!!BFF!!!!!!

10. I had the chance to visit her new church ... WOW!

As I drove home, I thanked the Lord for friendships.  Friendships come in all shapes and sizes, but this one has been one of my longest and deepest friendships.... she's a keeper,for sure! We've laughed and cried through many of life's mountains and valleys.  She encourages me and keeps it real.  

Love ya, girl!