Anthropologie "knock offs" & Chair Skirts

Recent Decorating Projects~

Fabulous Finds

"unstuck"

Pretty little things

Do you have one favorite area of your house that you just love?  I do.  One is a little corner in my piano room, and lately, the other is my kitchen window.  I feel like I have photographed this area so much recently, but I keep finding new little treasures to upcycle for "display". 

I was at the dollar spot at Target recently, and found a chalkboard marker.  I put it in my cart, and then put it back on the shelf.  Then I put it back in my cart again.  Over and over I did this.  I know it was only a dollar, but I didn't want it to be an impulse buy!  I finally kept it because I was so curious to see if it worked.  Now, I'm guessing that most everyone has been using one of these to make all of their beautiful chalkboard art these days.  But, like I have said before, I am very slow to jump on the band wagon, and somewhat old fashioned.  I always have been.  I think we were the last to get an answering machine, high speed internet, and *gasp* I don't even have a smart phone!  In fact, I picked up a GPS at a yard sale, and we have used it, but I find that I don't even like relying on that very much.

 I bought the chalkboard marker and couldn't wait to try it out.  I used a little chalkboard from a yard sale to print the words "Give Thanks" inside a laurel wreath.  I can't tell you how fun it was to use!  The packaging claims you can even erase it like real chalk, but I haven't tried that yet.  It was so smooth....like writing with a paint pen.

The next thing I displayed in my window might look familiar to some of you.  Long ago, I found a way to make beautiful "faux" stained glass windows.  It remains one of my most pinned posts.  You can see it here.  Well, I could never find the perfect place for it, and over time, it got a little bumped and bruised because i wasn't very careful with it.  I couldn't part with it, so I cut the plexi glass down, and stuck it in a "new" (yard sale) frame.  Then I just set it in the windowsill.  I love the light that streams through it,

And, I love it when my brain finds ways to re use old things!  Creativity is a wonderful thing!

A few of my favorite things...

Free

Free Prints

image source

Maybe if I write this down, I will remember it....always.  Because I need to.
This morning I went running.  Well, half running, half walking, because I just haven't been able to get my body moving like it was before vacation.  And, depression has been rearing its ugly head again.  I know there must be good reason.  I have a swirl of solutions spiraling around in my head, but the one I am trying to grab hold of is the one Jesus told me as I was walking today...

"Do the best you can, and I will make up the rest."  It's quite amazing that I heard His voice at all, because of all the "To Do's", fears and worries that were crowding my brain.  Even when I sincerely prayed for help and started telling Him my list of good things that I feel I must do, I didn't have immediate faith that He was listening... and answering.  Fortunately, I recognized His voice, because it brought me some much needed relief.

I love this painting of Him.  It is "Prince of Peace" by Liz Lemmon Swindle.  I keep it on my mantle. Right now, you can get a free 8" x 10" print for your home, as well as for a few friends or neighbors.  I just ordered some as I have many friends battling cancer.  I hope this painting will give them peace and strength, and that as they draw closer to Jesus Christ in faithful prayer, He will succor them, as I know He longs to do.

If you would like a free print...visit http://www.pictureofchrist.com/freeprint/

To see more of Liz's beautiful artwork visit Repartee Gallery~

Meet Matilda~ My cow painting

This is her big debut!  Matilda the cow.  When I went up one weekend this winter to study painting with my friend in Boston, I told her I really wanted to paint a cow, and I wanted her to teach me how to paint more quickly. After the original sketch, I began painting in my typical meticulous way.  After what seemed like only a few seconds, she said, "Move on! Paint a different part!"  She had me flying all over the canvas, and all I could think was, "This is going to be a disaster.  It won't even look like a cow!"...

To paint, or not to paint?

Happy Valentine's Day!  I'm not so sure that I believe in global warming.  :) It seems like global freezing over here.  While I shoveled snow this morning, my neighbor said they reported 19 inches at the airport, and three more inches expected tonight.  (that is in addition to what we had the other day)  With President's Day on Monday and being off both Thursday and Friday, the kids have a five day weekend.  I decided to forgo the treadmill this morning, because I knew I would get plenty of exercise.  :)  I got to the point where I didn't know where to put the snow anymore!  I'm just grateful that my shovel has survived all these snow storms, and that the sun came out to melt what was left of the ice underneath.

Antique store treasures

Free botanical printables~

My boy "AzMatic" and Rapping with the Carpenters

Hey everyone.  We are still here plugging away at the floor.  It is absolutely beautiful, but with busy week day schedules, it seems that Saturdays are our only real days to work on it.  I can't wait to show you.  It is actually pretty fun.  We chose a click and lock floating wood floor, so it is like putting in puzzle pieces! There is great satisfaction for me in clicking in each plank.  :)  Without a stove/oven for a month, we have done pretty well with the crock pot and microwave for meals.  Did you know you can cook pasta in the crock pot?  I've had to get pretty creative!  I think I need to get some of those crock pot liners...

I know I slow my husband down a bit because I analyze where each plank should go.  My right brain says to really mix it up...put a light piece next to a dark piece....put completely different patterns together, and vary the length of the planks.  :)   That way it will look really authentic and as if it has been there for years.  We are half way done, and it has taken us longer than we thought it would.  I didn't realize that moving all of the furniture and putting down new wood floors would cause me to do some deep cleaning...which made me analyze my whole decorating scheme...which made me realize I want to make new curtains, get new chairs and rugs, paint the piano bench, slipcover furniture, and get rid of lots of stuff.  I guess it's a domino effect!

So, I will probably have lots of new projects to share in the coming months.

A few months ago, my son Ryan was looking through all my old records for good "beats" for rapping.  He has a way with words, and is a talented artist.  It was so fun when he was listening to old albums with me and telling me how good they were.  :)  He loves rap, but there is not a lot of  "clean" choices out there to listen to.  So, he got permission to use a beat he found online.  Then, he wrote his own lyrics, and produced his own "clean" rap.  He went to a local recording studio for the finishing touches.  The result?  I couldn't be prouder, and his peers and other successful online rappers are loving it.  He put together a great song with outstanding lyrics.  And, we laugh, because he is may be the only white LDS mc/rapper you may have ever heard of, or will ever hear of, and this might be the cleanest rap out there!  He is lighting up twitter and gaining a following.  My favorite is his last phrase of the rap...

If you got good seeds to plant, lets get it started.

but if you just got weeds to plant, get out my garden.

:)

You can Listen here...https://soundcloud.com/ryan-bingham-2/carpe-diem

So proud of my boy for having the courage to put his art out there!

estate sale fun & my new green chair!

World Market finds~

Snow White and Rose Red

a farewell and new yummy recipes

spring vignette

I love these little chick salt and pepper shakers.  I picked them up at a yard sale some time ago.  You may have seen them in some of my other photographs.  The little watering can came from a yard sale too...I spray painted it red of course.  This fun little display sits in the middle of my kitchen table and reminds me how much I love spring!

IKEA Treasures & Table Display

Vintage Dog Figurines