Decided it was time to post some photos or our christmas decorations:)

Better late than never right?

So here ya go! Picture:)

Under the tree:)

The Living Room Mantel/Fireplace!

Our Tree!

Stockings on the fireplace in the Dining Room!

Christmas Crafts

I've been working on getting christmas gifts/crafts finished.

I got these little guys done last weekend.

Didnt cost me anything! I had been saving the pumps and jars

(spaghetti jars work great for these!)

6 Christmas Gifts Down!

In Progress....

(not the acutal before, but I can't find the "original, original", so this is the best I've got for now)

I first bought this lil beauty several months ago, at the Habitat Restore, for $15 bucks..
As soon as I saw it I knew I needed it. I had been searching for a door that I could turn into a footboard and knida halfway match our headboard (that was purchased at the restore on a different occasion) but I wasn't having any luck.. UNTIL I saw this guy! It was just what I needed...

except... it was WAY to short...
So it was KG to the resuce:)

(well and his dad of course)
So after months of begging, they finally fixed my footboard

(while I was out shopping at the Southern Christmas Show.. hehe)

They did a little procedue called "scabbing"? Don't know the exact step of this but, '

it seemed to work:)


You can see where the original height was and where the additional height was added, they even added a matching scalloped edge.. Wasn't that nice:)

From what I was told about the process is that there is a dowel rod in the middle and then its glued to ensure it stays in place, then the "scab" is added to the back for additional support.. Once its painted all one color and the bedding is draping down, the "scab" shouldn't be seen:)

I'll be sure to post photos of the "final" completion and install:)

Be sure and Come back now "ya hear"

:)

Long Time, No See... I mean No Talk:)

Its been a little while since my last post....

BUT, I've been working on some projects, aren't ya excited?!?!

My parents go to a auction every saturday night, I just so happen to go one night when this pair of black barstools comes up.. the price starts at $15 dollars for the PAIR.. I was kinda excited.. so I had my dad bid, well someone OUTBID him.. I was like No Way Mister... and I nudge dad in the arm and made him go higher... not like crazy high or anything and we WON.. we paid $25 dollars for the pair:)

I was all excited and then got to see them upclose, and they were in pretty bad shape, on missing a brace, and some sratches.. LOTS of wear and tear.. we put them in the truck (they were ours now anyways) and took them home.

I grab one of the stools and took it inside to see how it looked at our table and it didn't FIT.. well it went under, but only barbie would've been able to sit at them or if you have 2 inch thighs.. (which is totally not me)

So we had to cute the legs off.. and this is the stage that I captured the "before" image from

Not so pretty huh? She was in the process of getting her legs glued back together!

So.. I had to do something about the "not so pretty" thing..

Add a little zebra print, upholestry nails, cabinet knobs, wood cross, pearls and rhinestones and we have this present day beauty!!

I love her:)

My "real" Job!

I totally wish that crafting, redecorating, remodeling and everything craft related was my "real" job, however it is not. I do have a "creative" job! Graphic Design! (I work for the local newspaper, for 7 newspapers, to be exact). Hey, it still gets my creative juices flowing:)

Its not much, but here is a sample of what I do!

My friend just went out on her own, and of course she needed a logo:)

So we did a little bartering!Win Win!!

I'm a "hobby" photographer to:)

Its complete.. well almost!

I thought I'd stop in and share a photo or two with you of our newly tiled space! I love it..

I had the day off yesterday, so I thought I'd paint the trim around the window white. I must totally admit that I was a little nervous about doin this but I think it turned out great! I'll share the newly painted window trim tomorrow!

I must say, tiling wasn't near as hard and I had thought, just a LONG process!
Mabye that gets easier the more you do it?

Here's a up close view of our handles.. I love them, and they were cheap to:)

Tiling

For the past week, we've been very busy doing our first DIY tile work at our house.

And boy was it a experience!

I've been trying to decide what I wanted to do with this area behind the sink. Some sort of backsplash of course, but what kind? I changed my mind from bead board to the faux tin to actual rusty tin. But nothing seemed right. But Keith decided to do the tile. So thats what we went with. Keith picked out the color, and it was 4.44 for a square foot. Not to shabby right?

The whole section above the sink only cost us about $100 dollars..

Now.. Thats my knida project:)

My father-in-law (sometimes refered to as "the daddy") came down to help us switch out the light switches from that terrible builder grade off whiteish stuff, to the cool new sleek grey, that matched the tiles WAYYY better:)




He's totally a professional right?

I'll post more "finished" photos later:)

Mantel Reveal....

And hear it is... the finished fireplace turned seating area!!

I'm quite please at how it turned out:)

Fireplace Overhaul....

When we first moved into our house, this fireplace had a HUGE, HEAVY metal fireplace insert. Me not liking fire (yes, I know, I'm a scaredy cat) wasn't gonna be using it for a fire, and with it being so big and bulky, we decided to get it outa there.

When I say "we", I mean me!

So we got to work...

The insert had to be taken out by 4 men.. It was extremly heavy.. I was worried that the rock (the fake stuff) wouldn't support its weight entirely while moving it out. While the rock isn't my favorite thing, I don't want to tackle that monster of a project (just yet)

(sorry no photos of that process)

After all the heavy lifting was done, we was left with a stainless steel "fireplace"

(please just look past the mess)

He had to remove the metal "thing" that was inside but It didn't want to budge!

(don't ya just love my terms for things)

So out came this saw. It did alot of the work, but we still had to heave and ho to get it out!

It was quite a bit of work!

He didn't like that part very much!

Then up when the ply wood and the bead board!

(starting to look rather nice)

(its almost finished)

We finished off the "edges" with some molding and decorative squares!

I'll finish the Fireplace Overhaul tommorrow, with all the finishing details and decorations:)

Change that Mantel... Color!

Please bare with me as I learn the Ins & Outs of Blogger.

I'm still figuring out where stuff is and how stuff works.

(with my graphic design background,

I want things to look a certain way, and right now they just don't.

But hopefully that will change SOON.)

So, Onto the Fun Part!

I've been trying for a long time to decide if I wanted to paint the mantel or not.

I knida feel like I shouldn't be paint wood. Like I want to "save" it for something (crazy I know).
But I finally just went with it and put the paint to it!
And i'm so glad I did.. I like it a whole lot better!

I live in a house with a LOT of wood tones. Not necessarily my style.

But I'm having a hard time changing it!

I really want to try Whitewashing!

But thats a whole nother topic!

Ya'll havta stay tuned:)

Here's a before or after!

(well knida before, I started paint and then relized I hadn't snapped a picture, so I ran and got the camera!)

Repurpose that... chicken feeder?

I LOVE being able to use things for more than one purpose..

I also LOVE things that make you look twice..

While looking thru blogland last christmas, I came upon this AWESOME idea.. so some of the men in my family got these as christmas gifts:)

This one sits at the inlaws and holds M&M's:)

While M&M's are in this one, it will hold numerous kinds of candy..

What a better way to display candy then in a chicken feeder?

(asking why there are measuring spoons beside it, well the FIL likes to use it to "scoop" out the candies)

Re-frame that door!

This project has been completed for a while, but I thought I'd share and get caught up on all the house projects we've completed!

I'm lacking a little in the photo deptartment on this project..including the complete before...

The house we live in was built in the late 80's early 90's..well its wasn't even a house, it was a mobile home..(that was until my grandparents added on and remodeled some). The finishes are well... not my taste. So we've been working slowly on making it more of "our style".

What style is that you ask? Well, I'm not sure, but its us and we like it:)

I for the life of me can't find the photo that shows the original state of the laundry room door way. But It had two saloon style wood doors with slates..like shutters..while I like the saloon look, I didnt' like how they looked in the house.. so they had to go.

The shutter looking saloon doors were replaced with some habitat find bifold doors.

We just un bi-folded them, and make them work like regular doors.

I added some barn door style hinges (I had to spray paint these, since the only ones what would work was the silver ones).

The handles came from hobby lobby (50% off of course) then I spray painted them as well!

After replacing the doors, I thought it still need something else, so the molding was next.

We bought the premade door molding kit (not sure if i'll do that again).

He's got some wondering techniques huh? :)

And finally after some aqua paint, here is the finished product.. (please excuse, the cell phone photography)

New Arrival

July 27, 2011 - I became a Aunt to a little boy named Dustin Lee..

He Weighted in at 5lb. 5oz. - He's a tiny little thing.
but oh so so cute:)

I've got lots of spoilin' to do:)

Revamp!

This ole' thing has some history to it..

The Wheels were once used to carry milk to the side of the road for the Milk Man, but when that wasn't necessary anymore, my great-grandpa (pop) decided to repurpose it to a "wood wagon" (used to carry loads to wood from the barn to the house for the fireplace). Well after years of it sitting around at his house and then my grandparents house after he passed on, I decided to bring some new life to this piece of wood and iron. So this is now its current state!

I'd say its an improvement!