My, how things change in a year!

Well, it is official.  It has been one year to the date that we broke ground on the addition and remodeling of our house.  It has seemed like a long time ago that we started this adventure, but only it has been 365 days.  And man, look at what we have accomplished.

If you don't know what I'm talking about, please catch up by checking this post out.  And if you don't really care, I'll just go ahead and show you pics.

This is from day two of the remodel.  Day one was painting lines on my yard.



Yes, someone actually lives in this house.  I kind of miss it if you want to know the truth.  I love my new addition, don't get me wrong.  But, I kind of liked the enmity that the old house gave us.  People never stopped for pictures, wanting to know where we bought our front door, who did the framing, or whatever else.  People just left us alone and I truly miss that.

Sorry, that makes me sound totally ungrateful.  I am so not ungrateful...I never in a million years would have imagined myself living in a house like this.  Never being married to Sir or having children or even being happy just being.  I am truly blessed to have my salvation in God, my loving husband, my beautiful children and all that I love are healthy and happy. 

I digress, here is my new addition.

Yes...it is the same house.  Promise!  But, you aren't the only one that thinks its brand new...even the county came out to assess it as a new house.  Sorry, guys...check your records, we pulled all the proper paperwork.

Well, now you are up to speed.  We are planning on knocking down walls inside after the first of the year.  Stay tuned for more pics.

Thanks for stopping by today.  Have a very Merry Christmas!  You know, it is only 3 days away!  Or so that is what my kiddos keep telling me!  Jeez!  It's like they are walking, talking calendars!  Love those little turds!

What's the word?

I was blog hopping like normal at all hours of the night and came across this idea.  I am so in love with this project.  I know, it is probably crazy, but I really adore it!

Check it out!

What is this, you ask?  Well, it is a coffee table decoupaged with dictionary pages.  Seriously!  And yes, I do seriously like it.

If anyone is interested, check out how she did it here.  She did this on a whim a few hours before she was having everyone over for Thanksgiving dinner.  Crazy?  Crazy!  It's still cool!



Go over to Sew Many Ways and check out her awesome "Junky" style.

Thanks for stopping by.  Hopefully I'll see you all tomorrow!

Future To Craft Project

I know that everyone is busy with their holiday crafts/presents...but I wanted to share something that I found.  I basically am posting this for my own memory, because I am kind of forgetful and get sidetracked quite a  bit!

I am so making this for my house!!

Or this!

I love this idea and I have an old window in my basement just waiting for the right project.  This is probably

it!

If you are intrigued by this project, just head on over to The Exchange.  She has some really cute ideas and made a ton of these adorable Christmas trees as well.

How sassy are these?!  I am so in love with them...too bad I am done making Christmas decorations this year.  Most definitely will be on the agenda for next year.

Thanks for stopping by.  Hope you all have a very Merry day!

Dear Sir

I decided to put my little wish list on my blog here.  Just in case my dear husband visits (yeah right!) or anyone else who would like to buy me a Christmas gift.

1. Sew Serendipity by Kay Whitt 2. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins 3. Steve Madden Tsunami Rain Boots 4. Singer DF151 Adjustable Dress Form

Various knobs at Hobby Lobby

 Yes, I realize those are knobs...but I LOVE them and I have a project just dying for them!  Figured instead of me buying them I would just ask for them.  If I don't get them, I can still buy them for myself.  Never know unless you ask! 

1. Runner for my foyer hallway 2. Stamped Metal Jewelry by Lisa Nive Kelly 3. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins 4. Rugs for the front entry of my foyer.

I'm sure that I won't get it all but if they have a list you have a better chance of getting something you want.  Right?  Right!

If you happen to know my Sir could you direct him to this for me?!  Thanks, I appreciate it and will be in debt to you forever!

What are you wishing for this Christmas?

Ohhhhhh My GAWSH!!!!

I have to tell you something!!!! 

I am so excited and so humbled at the same time! 

I just received a comment from Someday Crafts.  I am featured as one of her lovely ideas from the Whatever Goes Wednesday #44.  I am so honored to be featured among such talented people out there in blog land! 

Don't want to go on an on...but I am just stoked!

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Hope to see you again soon!

*grinning ear to ear as I skip off to bed to tell Sir about my accomplishment*

cheap-o gifts #3

Oh, Oh, Oh...I found another one.

I was blog hopping, or stalking as I like to call it and was checking out a link party on Shanty 2 Chic and found this adorable and cheap-o idea at Today's Fabulous Finds .  It is a pretty cute little crafty blog and she has this great idea.

It's a Game Night In A Bag.  What a great idea and what about an inexpensive one at that!

Janet gives you all the help to make one just like this.  If I only lived in a neighborhood.  Yeah right!!  Not me...I'm a country girl at heart!  Just click here to get the full tutorial.

Now, who do I make these for?  The mailman, the garbage man, or the bus driver?  Maybe all three!

Have a wonderful day and thanks for stopping by!  By the way...in case you didn't know, and my kids won't let me forget, Christmas is only 11 days away!



Topsy Turvy

My husband, Sir, is back from bow hunting in Illinois and so I am no longer a hunting widow again.  I am hoping that this will be it for a while.  But I won't hold my breath!  My man sure does love to hunt, even though he doesn't  rarely kills anything, he does have a good time.  It's probably refreshing to get away from the stress of work and your family!  Not that we are stressful or anything!  Yeah, right!!!

Anyway, I just wanted to share a little memory so that one day I will be able to remember.  I'm kind of forgetful and clumsy.  Double threat!  Yep, that's me!

This past weekend we moved the kiddos into the big bonus room above the garage.  Remember this room?

I don't know what's up with this pic.  Sorry. 

Anyway, it is the length of the large 3 car garage.  It is finished, except for flooring.  We decided it would probably be smarter to wait for flooring until after all of the remodeling is done.  So, without carpet my children are now sleeping in this huge room all by themselves.  How cool is that?!?!?!  This is night number two and all is well, so far.  It's a good test for when their rooms are done in the basement.  I don't really think we'll be having a problem.  Thank goodness!

Well, that isn't the memory that I wanted to share.  This Saturday was such a nice day.  The four of us had so much fun just moving things around, throwing things away and just being together.  The kids were so excited to move up into the room.  It is a big change. 

CX was a little sad because he was moving out of the room he has only ever known.  And honestly, I was a little sad a well.  Once everything was out of their room...I could see all the things that used to be in there.  The crib that my precious little bundle would sleep in and the blue chair that I would sit in at all hours of the night and nurse him.  It kind of choked me up...but as Sir says, "Change is good for everyone." 

If only I fully believed that.  I'm the kind that likes to stay in the warm comfort of familiar.  I know, it seems weird to some, but I fear change.  That's why this whole remodeling thing is a good thing for me.  It is making me embrace my disability.

Then, after we moved the kiddos, it was time for us to move into their room.  Why?  Well, the plumbing in our bedroom will be connected to their rooms in the basement and if we can run those lines now, while our "plumber" is slow it will make the process a little faster.  Remember, I like instant gratification as well.  Again, the remodel is a good thing on more than one level for me.

So, all weekend, I have turned my house upside down.  And now, as I sit here typing this, I should be cleaning my house because I am surrounded by everything and anything my children have ever owned.  It looks like we literally picked the house up and turned it upside down.  Now I just have to remember which room is mine! 

Thanks for reading my little ole blog.  Hope to see you again soon.

The Meaning of the Christmas Wreath

I found this the other day at goodwill and had to share it with everyone.  I thought that it was very insightful and explained a lot. 

Have you ever wondered why we all hang wreaths at Christmas time? I usually have something year round, but now after reading this, I will definitely have a wreath on my front door always.

 

This is what I found..."Every Christmas wreath is more than just a decoration...it's a special reminder of Jesus, the reason for our celebration.  The circle of a Christmas wreath is a never-ending ring, a reminder of eternal love from our Lord and King.  The Christmas wreath is a sign of welcome, inviting all to enter in...a reminder of Christ's invitation for all to come to Him.  The middle of a Christmas wreath is a bare and empty space, a reminder of what life would be without Christ's love and grace.  So each time you see a Christmas wreath hanging from a door, may your heart rejoice in the One that Christmas is truly for!"  -Holley Gerth.

The Lord bless you and keep you.

Numbers 6:24

I thought it was kind of cool and just had to share.  Every time I see a wreath it makes me smile now.

Have a great day!

Cheap-o gifts #2

I found another one, that is definitely on my to make list.  My kiddos teachers will probably getting these with a gift card attached.  I think they will really like them.

The girls over at Shanty 2 Chic created this adorable photo, recipe, menu holder.  I've used a few of their tutorials, which are very easy and have tons of photos, and they all turned out just as if the Shanty 2 Chic girls made them.

Check out the tutorial for this over at Ucreate...once again!  As always, awesome crafts are waiting there to be found.

Thanks for visiting.  Have a wonderfully Christmasy day!

Cheap-o gifts

I've been looking for some cheap-o presents to make for friends, mailman, garbage man, coaches, etc.  You know what I'm talking about.  All those people that you really appreciate what they do on a daily basis, want to let them know that you care about them and want to give them a little sumpin sumpin, but can't afford to buy everyone something.  And since I am crafty, I am looking for things that I could make fairly quickly and won't put me into bankruptcy.

I'm going to start sharing some gifts that I have found that I think are super cute and super original, or at least I think that they are original.

Anyway, this is my first display.  I found this idea over at Ucreate.  If you haven't heard of this wonderful blog, you are sincerely missing out!  Seriously, stop reading right now and click over.  Wait....finish reading me and then head over.  Okay...this is the first creation as I said before.  The talented Becki over at Infarrantly Creative made this cute little project for Ucreate.

..

Printable and Customizable Grocery List

Yes, it is a grocery list...but you can customize it!  And, it cost her less than $2 to make!  My kind of price tag! 

So head over to Ucreate right now and check out all the wonderful crafts Kari has put together for all of stalkers um, bloggers.

Thanks for stopping by.  Hope to see you again soon! 



The growing advent calendar

I grew up with advent calendars and looked forward to it every morning in December.  They were from Germany, my Mim would have them sent over, and they were the prettiest things I can remember.  All glittery and beautiful pictures.  And there was never any candy or junk inside them, just really cool pictures.  I think the best part was finding that one little window to open everyday, because they were plopped all over the place.

Well, the ones that you find now are full of chocolate little bears or gummy things or what nots.  I wanted one that would be something my kids looked forward to besides a quick sugar rush first thing in the morning.  I was checking out my fave blogs that I stalk and of course found inspiration at I am Momma Hear Me Roar like normal.  I'm sure if you've read my blog before you know I stalk love her blog.  She was having a week of putting Christ back into Christmas last week and had some wonderful guest bloggers and great ideas.  This is the post that inspired me. 

I ran to the dollar tree in big town to pick up the little metal buckets and this is all that they had, of course.

I was so distraught but I went ahead and bought them anyway.  They came in packs of 8 so I only lost $3 if it didn't work.  And since it is for Christmas, I picked the green ones, but they had yellow, blue and pink.  But as I was driving home my mind was buzzing with ideas and I came up with this.

I got home and pulled out the pad of Christmas paper that I bought at Michael's the other day for 50% off plus another 20% off.  Hello....can we say bargain!

I took apart one of the boxes and starting tracing them onto the papers.  Since it was double sided I got to use only 13 pages, but got 26 different boxes....even though I only needed 24.

Before my destruction.

After my destruction.  And yes, it is green, promise.  Baby green!

Then I set out on my tracing....this didn't really take that long, but the cutting, wow...that was a whole nother adventure.  And since I want instant gratification I worked on it all night long.  And my mind was turning to mush and I needed to get these suckers done.  So, I grabbed my exacto and let me tell you what...what a difference that made.  I finished the last half in about 20 minutes...as opposed to 2 hours.  Then I slept.  Seriously, I think my brain was running out of my ears.

Bright and early the next day, after the kiddos were on the bus, I got to assembling the many boxes.  I used stick glue and started folding and gluing while watching my back log of "Glee" episodes.  After two hours of "Glee" I was caught up and had all these boxes.  Check them out.

Aren't they pretty?!

Now....how to display them....hmm.  I want to hang them so I took my trusty scissors and got to punching holes into the sides.  See...

After punching holes for 24 boxes I grabbed the roll of natural jute and to to hanging.

Then, I set out to printing things to put into the boxes that the kids could do everyday without my help, or as little as possible.  I wanted things that might bring them closer to understanding what is important at Christmas.  Yes, getting things are fun, but it is the birth of our Lord and Savior that is the real reason for this time of year.

Some of the things that are in the boxes are things that I picked off of I am Momma Hear Me Roar and then I came up with some of my own.  Sorry, I can't remember them all.

Then, I made some numbers.  Printed the numbers out on card stock and cut them out in circles.

After cutting them...I burned the edges and glued them on the boxes.  With the glue stick again!  Those things work better than I gave them credit for.  Its amazing the resources you can find when all your crafty stuff is boxed up.

And that's it. 

I seriously think I need a new camera.  These pics are awful!  Sorry.

The kids think it is awesome and they don't even care that there isn't any candy inside them.  They just think its cool to open it and find out there adventure that they get to participate in that day.  Like today...we made Christmas goodies to eat and it just so happened that we were going to my MIL to make cookies after church.  They thought that was awesome...and I didn't even plan it that way.  Crazy!

Another thing I like about them is that I can change the things to put inside them every year.  The older they get, the bigger the good deed or objective will be.  I love it!

Thanks for checking in today...hope to see you again soon!

I am linking to someday crafts.

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire

Unless you don't have a fireplace...then what are you to do?



As long as I can remember, I have wanted to hang stockings by a fireplace for Santa to fill with goodies on Christmas eve.  The only problem...I grew up in an old farm house without a fireplace...but I did have a giant flue running straight thru my bedroom for the wood burning stove that we didn't have.  Like I said...it was an old farm house...over a hundred years old and apparently, if you as my kids that was like a hundred years ago...so that house is really old!

Well, my new casa doesn't have a fireplace and probably will not ever have one, since we are in the midst of remodeling and don't have any plans for one.  I had to come up with something, I have just been hanging them on a coat rack for years past and I want to actually hang them this year.

I got my creative juices flowing one day while I was fleasing and came up with this idea.  I'm sure I am not the first one to come up with such an idea, but I thought it was kind of cool and wanted to share if anyone else was in the same boat as me.

I found a bucket full of old railing spindles and what nots and thought what if.....hmm.

So, I whipped out my moolah and bought one spindle.  And then I ran drove to Michael's and picked up a wooden plaque.  Then I got home and once I found all of my tools...again, they seem to have a mind of their own and keep wandering off (must be from the renovation or something, huh?), I took a lovely picture for all of my loyal readers and got to work.

Materials needed:

Drill gun with drill bit and Phillips head bit

Wooden plaque

Wooden spindle

Hook of some sort w/screws

and

a wood screw, just one.

First thing I did, was line up my spindle on the wood plaque with the majority of the plaque in the front.  Have to even out the weight of the filled stocking once it is all together.  I drew a little line for my own reassurances and then grabbed my drill gun and drilled two little holes.  One in the plaque and one in the bottom of the spindle.

Then I lined up my holes and took my one screw and screwed into the bottom of the plaque up into the bottom of the spindle.  It then looked like this...

Now....what to do about the color...well, it has to go with my house, but I don't really want to just pigeon hole it for Christmas time.  You never know what else this might be used for.  I only had almond spray paint at the time, so I took it outside and gave it a good covering.

I'm not really digging the almond...doesn't really look much different, even if I do put a glazing of black on it, I'm still not liking it.  So, off to Walmart i skipped to get me a few white cans of spray paint.

Oh yeah....much better!

Then I brought it into the house to give it a good layer of black glaze and screwed the hook onto the top.

I think it turned out pretty good.  I am thinking I want it a little bit taller for the others, but if I have them all different sizes it will look more whimsical and I'm totally about that.



Yes, I do have a white Christmas tree...it is mine from way before there was a CX or Lil' Sis, or even Sir for that matter.  My kiddos told me that that isn't a Christmas tree, so last year I bought a green one, pre-lit and let me tell you...how I wish my white one was pre-lit!  It takes a matter of minutes to put that pre-lit sucker up!

I like my stocking hangers and now, I have to hope that there are still a bunch of them left at the flea store.  Keep your fingers crossed!

Thanks for visiting today.  Let me know if you make one, I would love to see pictures!  And, please, if you do make one, please give credit where credit is due.  That's what makes this blog world so much fun...we can all share our creativity and spark something in someone else!

I'm linking up to whatever goes Wednesday at Someday Crafts.  Go check it out...there are a ton of talented bloggers out in this world.  Visit them and give them some love.  It makes me so excited when I get comments and I know others feel the same.

Borders

My kiddos came home from school today with this wonderful flyer in their folders and i just had to share it with all of you that read my little old blog.

Apparently, Borders Bookstores are giving schools gift cards worth $15.

How you may ask?!?!?!

Well....here is what the flyer says...and if you don't believe me, check out the Associated Press link here!

"The much discussed documentary "Waiting for Superman," which offers a harsh portrait of the country's public schools, has inspired a promotional collaboration among the Borders Group superstore chain, an education fundraiser and the publisher of the movie's companion book.

On Dec. 4 and Dec. 5, any Borders customer making an in-store purchase, whether of a book or a bagel or a latter, will receive a $15 gift card to donate to a public school of choice through DonorsChoose.org, an Internet-based charity.

Anyone purchasing the book "Waiting for 'Superman': How We Can Save America's Failing Public Schools" will receive a second $15 card.  The companion text was published by PublicAffairs, part of the Perseus Books Group, which along with Borders and DonorsChoose.org announced the campaign Sunday."

How amazing is that?!!?!  Pull into a Borders Bookstore, run in to grab a chai tea latte and get $15 for the school of your choice.  Seriously!  That is wonderful!  I am so there...and there are actually two stores in big town, so I may be making two stops!

So, if you have kiddos in school, or grand kids (momma!) or great grand kids (hint hint mims!), run into town on Dec. 4 or Dec. 5 and buy yourself a little sumpin sumpin!  It will change a child's life!

Thanks for checking out my blog today.  So glad you did...and don't forget to go get a magazine or something at Borders this weekend!

Lonesome projects

While I have been a hunting widower these past few weekends, I have been busy with projects.  Mostly for myself.  Sorry, can't help myself.  I have to make sure that they turn out adorable before I make them for others, right?!

So, I was inspired by this necklace and had to take it on and make it my own in a small sort of way.

If you are interested in how to make one for yourself, or one similar....check out Mandipity for the tutorial.

I had to make mine a little more rugged or heavy with the big linked chains.  It didn't take any time at all to make the charms...the longest was letting the glue dry.  And I didn't have any varnish, so I just mod podge the paper charms and then burned the edges to make them look more antiquey.

I also worked on an up cycle from a cardigan that I bought on clearance from Target last winter for $2, but I can't seem to be able to download my photos right now.  Maybe I have a bad connection, or a slow one probably.  I'll try again later to show that.

I also worked on Sir's closet in the bonus room.  Had to install shelving and what not so that we can move all the hunting gear into its new forever home.  It didn't take me very long, once I found all my tools.  Why is it when I need something I can't seem to find it?!  Annoying!

I installed this

Purchased it from Lowe's and it was the best $70 I spent.  Wish I would have gotten another one.  I still have quite a bit of wall that could use some shelves.  And I still have a ton of stuff to store.

Here is what it looks like right now...

This also stores the kiddos hunting stuff as well.  But no guns...Those bad boys are locked up in the gun safe downstairs.  Only Sir and I know the combo...gotta be safe with babies around, even if they do know how to handle them.