In Progress.....

The boys went and golfed all day Sunday, an activity we normally all do together but my youngest had to study for tests, so I stayed behind with her and started some Halloween decor. I hope to have them finished in a couple of days....stay tuned!

*a quick thanks to my Shawnee followers...please leave a comment I'd love to hear from you

I've Stalled Long Enough!

Now that the kiddos are back in school, I have gutted closets and drawers in attempt to re-organize my life I can not put off my BIG Project any longer. I have wanted to plaster my master bath since we built our home 6years ago. We thought we would save a few hundred dollars and just have the walls done in a knock down texture and I have never been satisfied with the feel of that room. I did venetian plaster in my booth at my shop and I loved it and surprisingly it was an easy project....just time consuming. I am an instant gratification personality so this is going to be a chore for me to have my master bath "in chaos" for a week or so. (yes I have a moderate case of OCD if you are wondering)These are my inspiration photos. (sorry I don't remember where I found them...I know it was a faux finishing site)

Spa Day!!!

To take the pain out of the last day of summer my friend and I held a spa day for our daughters. Goodie bags filled with chocolates, facial masks, nail art polish, among other things took their minds off of the fact that summer would be a distant memory in a few short hours. It is amazing what a mani/pedi and some chocolate can do for a girl!

The Ring

I was watching home videos today with my children and noticed that in every tape we have of my husbands grandmother she is wearing a ring I gave her. She had told me before she passed that she never forgot where it came from or who gave it to her. She said that every time she looked down at her hand she was reminded of my smiling face the day she commented on it and I slid it off my finger and placed it on hers. After she passed in January of this year, my mother in law gave it back to me. I was so grief stricken that I just placed it in my purse and left it there for a couple of days. When I took it out of my purse I noticed that she wasn't kidding when she said she never removed it from her hand. It was originally a sterling silver band but had turned black and was "caked" with a substance underneath the setting. I cleaned it and placed with my other keepsakes. I took it out today and slid it on my hand. It didn't seem right, as the ring had become Nannee's. I realized that in the last 10yrs. the ring was on her hand when she rolled crusts as she baked someone's favorite pie. It was on her hand when she rocked each and every one of her great grandchildren. The ring was present when she folded her loving hands in prayer every night as she knelt by her bed and called us each by name to her heavenly father. I thought at the time that I was bestowing a gift to her but in the end I realize that the gift was all mine!



photo from google images

Vinyl and Metal Don't Mix

I finished my sign...finally. The vinyl lettering did not want to stick so once I peeled it off it's backing I had to painstakingly place in on the metal and then I left a brick on it for a couple of days. (not joking) I decoupaged it with a matte modge podge, let it dry and then "antiqued" it. It was a pain to do but I love it and the best thing is, it was on the cheap! (remember the sign and paint were free..I only had to buy the lettering) Not to mention it's like a two for one... the side that you see from my living room into my kitchen says "enjoy your meal" (in Italian) and Pantry on the side that leads down the hall where my pantry is located. That's one project to check off the list now just a couple dozen more to go.

20 Already?

I have always heard that the friends you make in college are the ones you will keep for a lifetime and I have to say I totally disagree! My best girlfriends are the ones I have had my whole life. We literally grew up together. We have memories of Girl Scout camp, first boyfriends, first cars, first to get married (me), first to have a baby (me), we have given wedding/baby showers for each other and have seen each other through good and bad. We found ourselves at our 20 year high school reunion talking all night with our grade school "gang" more so than the high school crowd. We have such a great time together and it was so great to see everyone. Even though we get busy and go months without being able to see each other we are always able to pick up right where we left off. These girls have showed me what "true" friendship is. Thanks girls for the "Married the Longest" award it meant alot to us!

Sneaky...Sneaky!

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I was able to sneak in a project with the kids home! I can now check this one off my list....almost. My dad gave me this heavy iron "house sign" that he found at a garage sale for $1.00. He picked it up for me to use in my shop (that's another post...plans are still in the works) but it was too small. I knew it had to be aged...check! Next I will be placing vinyl words on each side from an Uppercase Living party my mom had, but this is where it gets tricky...I don't want my sign aged and my words to look freshly painted. So if any of you know a way to make my vinyl words look aged and distorted please let me know! I am itching to finish this project up so I can hang it in time for a client to see, but I don't want to ruin my letters. Help!