Stitching The Month Away

Wow, I just can't believe how fast this month has flown by! Where, oh where, did the time go? I guess I've been so busy with all my little projects, that I just didn't realize that the days were passing so quickly!

A few of the things I have been busy with this week:

Now that I have discovered my love of cross stitch one again, and this beautiful person's blog, I have started digging out old pieces that either were started and not finished or else just not started at all. I found these older pieces of Aida cloth (sorry again for no "before" pictures. I get so dang excited about doing something, I don't even think about taking pictures until after all is said and done).

The pieces in the background were originally white, and the yellow pieces were very bright. Now, I just love the look of them. I'm thinking about stitching a Fall/Halloween piece on one of the yellows and maybe something patriotic for Dane on the blue piece.

The two smaller pieces were stitched in the corresponding years: 1994 & 1996. The piece in the background I just started a few weeks ago. I added the place that we are currently living and the current year. And that has sparked a whole new idea for me. More on that later ;0)

BTW, do you like the twine hanger on the ark one? Still debating if I like it, that's why I haven't stuffed it yet....Opinions please!

And finally, more patterns to stitch! I purchased the two in the back and Hannah Skinner from Kathy at Carriage House Samplings. The little angel was a snag off Ebay.
Kathy is closing the doors of Carriage House and I didn't want to be left without some of her amazing patterns!

So, how has your July been ~ Busy too? Hope your having fun!

~♥~

Artful Thursday ~ Week 26

Ever have one of those weeks, where no matter what you do, your just BEHIND?

This is my week. But the good news is that I have got alot accomplished!

Some of it small and I won't bother you with but the big thing, what I'm going to use as my Artful Thursday Project (aka Project Under Construction) is the repainting of a little side table in our living room.

Started out life looking like this. Well, actually, it started out looking better than this, but 10 years, 12 moves, 2 kids and lots of drinking glasses later, this is the current condition.

Now it looks like this!!

Can you tell I've become obsessed with Turquoise? Polly at Make Mine Beautiful informed me that it is the HOT color for 2010. Not sure if that makes me "In Style" or not. Never was one fit into the crowd, I just know what I like.

Looking lots better!

I received another package from my Mama.

She made this cute little sundress for Pickle.
Love the huge piece of eyelet lace. And she sent her some new shoes.

So...do you like the new look on the blog? I did a little "face lift". Feels a little lighter, brighter, happier to me. And I took the music away. I do love to listen to music when I'm fluttering around the house and even when I'm working in the shop or creating a blog post, but I felt like it was maybe something not everyone was fond of .
So feedback please. Like the new look, something I can do better? Let me know!
Oh, and there are some new things in the shop. Actually have to run to the post office this week to mail some items.

~♥~

Happy...Sad...Very Happy

I'm happy because two of my squash plants made it through the infestation and (hopefully) will produce some yummy squash.

I can't wait to make my grandmother's squash casserole with home-grown squash.

Hoping for some bell peppers too

And I'm sad...

A few days ago, a baby bird that literally hopped into Charlie's his store. Not know what to do with it, he brought it home.


A baby house wren

My Mama had raised a baby red bird, so I called her. We mashed up some old bananas and dog food and feed him. We really got attached to him.

But a few days later, he wasn't with us anymore. I was so sad. Charlie was heartbroken, he had gotten really attached to him.

Bye Bye Little Birdie


And to end on a Happy note

I couldn't wait to open this box

from LKFarnswoth

I'm SUPER Happy about these little beauties

Aren't they just gorgeous?!


Believe me, it was a hard decision to pick just one from her shop. I definitely will be picking up some more items from her!

Well, Charlie is home and we are having Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup...and Garlic Cheese Biscuits. Yum!

~♥~

It Came From the Trash

I recently discovered Donna's blog, Funky Junk Interiors. And I have been SO inspired! Not only does she have some amazing projects, but after reading her post about how she got to where she is now, it was truly uplifting. So I really wanted to participate in her "Gitter Done" series.

I had these grand plans of getting Hubby to help, and together we would build an entertainment center for the big tv or even really cool bunk beds for the kids. Because he took the weekend off, so we had p-l-e-n-t-y of time...right?

Saturday was spent running around, touring places in Madison we have never been. And I will say, that is a blog post by itself.

But there was Sunday, right? Then he asked. Grown man, Husband, Bread Winner, asked me if he's friend in Birmingham drove down of Sunday, could they go play golf? What would YOU say? Of course, I said "Sure!" And re-planned my thinking.

"I can do this by myself", "There is a ton of smaller things I can do, but what can I do that would really make a BIG impact, and leave me feeling like I DID something?"

Then I saw it. The trash-turned-treasure coffetable that I found along side the road. I have another, beautiful iron coffetable, that has a glass top. Well, DID have a glass top. During one of our moves, it broke. So we have been without. And when I initially saw this piece of junk, I was really just wanting to take the legs (I have a think with wooden legs. There was another table on the same junk pile that I talked Hubby into attempting to take, but they were screwed in too tight) . Then I used it for awhile as a display table for my shop.

So when we moved into this house, the table made it's way in front of the sofa, and there it has sat, ugly as all get out but withstanding two kids playing on it, using is as a diving board, as a make-shift dinner table. And it never complained.

So I decided it was time to make it fit in.

And let me say one quick thing. This table is solid wood, it's heavy!!

After sanding down the few spots there were left of the finish, I perused my stash of leftover cans of paint. I really wasn't even sure what color I was going for, I was just using what I had!

( Insert picture of base coat, then a top coat, then another top coat, then some weird brushing with an old paint brush, all the while running back inside for this or that or to change a diaper or fix the munchkins something to eat, you get the picture!)


And Then....

it was done!

Back in it's spot in front of the sofa

And I honestly had no intention of this matching!
But I have had this little tin for a long time and
just LOVE the colors in it!
Oh, you don't know how happy I am
every time I see this now!

I would like to thank Donna for inspiring me to tackle this project. I am SO READY to tackle some more!!

You have been warned...LOL!!

And I would like to thank all of you who have stopped by my blog within the last few weeks. I have meet some really wonderful people...I don't get out of the house ( not having a car kinda puts a damper on getting outta the house!) Plus we have moved so much, it's sometimes hard to make good friends. So thanks to each of you that has become a new friend of mine. I really appreciate it :0)

~♥~

July Silver Sunday

Welcome to my first Silver Sunday hosted by Beth at Gypsy Fish!

Please bear with me as we have recently moved into this rental home and I STILL have boxes of stuff unpacked. But a few of my favorite things are out and I thought I would share some of my pretties!

A vintage buffet that I have painted is in our bedroom, since there really is no room anywhere else in the house for it. But this allows me a nice spot to play with different vignettes.

I have been collecting vintage decanters for awhile now. This is just a few of the ones that I have. They are displayed on a old silver serving platter.

A silver gravy boat that I turned into a candle holder and a trophy bowl used as a base for my antique transferware jar. This jar belong to my great-great grandmother!

Well, I hope you enjoyed my Silver Sunday! Thanks so much for stopping by!

~♥~

(Not Too) Artful Thursday ~ Week 24

I really don't have too much for this week. Well, actually, I have a lot "In Progress" but only one thing I can show that is completed. I know there are a lot of the Artful Thursday people who show lots of cool tutorials for great things to make,but I've just about made up my mind that I will use this weekly art session for my 100 & 1 million projects that are on my To Do List. I hope you will bear with me as I wander through my list this year, hoping to get some of these PUC's (Projects Under Construction) completed!

I've wanted to have a little cross stitched piece to go with each season, and with Independence day this past week, I finally got something completed for it.

I've always collected old pictures frames from yard sales and thrift stores. This one was a weird orange color

After a few coats of two different colors of red, and some matte clear spray, I was happy with the results.

And I was tickled with how my little piece turned out!

I think it made a wonderful addition to my entryway, along with my beautiful picture from my sweet friend Tracey.

And now for all the things that got started this week, but not finished:



Another cross stitch piece, think it might become a pillow



Still working on these pillows

And I had high hopes for some summer lesson plans with Dane,

This one took us 4 weeks to complete! (Bad Mama!)

And another secret project in the works....

Thanks for stopping by and looking at all my mess!!

~♥~