I Did It!

I admit it, I have an addictive personality.  When I started blogging, it consumed all my time.  Then I found Facebook and neglected the blog a bit, but went back to it.  My latest vice is Pinterest.  To the exclusion of just about all else--blog, Facebook, housework, laundry, eating.....

I've got 36 boards--yikes!  I never would have dreamed I had that many.  And 1303 pins!  Though in my defense, some are duplicates.  Because today I started a new board called I Did It!  No sense pinning all this cool stuff and not actually DOING any of it.  Most of the things I've accomplished are recipes--which is a wonder in itself, since I hate to cook.

Do you Pinterest?  Do you pin--or do you DO?  I'm always on the lookout for inspiration, so let me know and I'll follow you.  And feel free to peruse my boards to see what I've been up to!

Where Do I Begin....

Did you read that title with a little tune?  If so, we may be of an age.  If not, you should look it up on YouTube. 

Soooo.....I'm sure you've been wondering what I'm been up to.  Actually, quite a bit.  Let's do a little recap, shall we?

We've made popcorn the old fashioned way.

We've eaten lots of doughnuts!

We've built cool Lego structures!

We've collected lots of fresh eggs from chickens we share with friends.  That big one was a double yolk!

 We've played games on the Kindle.

Don't ya just love my little grandnerds?

And I've done some thrifting!

 $10 for this sweet little chair

 $5 for this side table.  (Look at all that pollen!)  The top had a little damage, so I sanded it down and painted it black.  It's already been sold at my booth!

 

Painted this sweet guy ($10) white and took it to the booth.  If it's still there tomorrow, I'll get a picture.

$5 for this beat up hamper.

After painting it with black paint I already had and adding some wooden appliques, it now sits in my bedroom.  I'm planning on adding a handle to the top.  Been wanting something other than the wicker hamper we've been using for years, but am too cheap didn't want to spend upwards of $75.  I've got maybe $25 in this one!

This mirror has begged--nay, pleaded--for a monogram forevah!  I tried a moss wreath, but it just wasn't working.  Found this huge C at a little boutique downtown.  Didn't get a before picture of the lovely bright blue--or the glitter.  But a quick couple of coats of Oil Rubbed Bronze and some double sided tape and both me and the mirror are happy!

And lastly, some highlights of Xander's room.  It's not done yet, but we're getting there.

 30x24 map from amazon.com ($1), thumbtacked to wall

1x3 (about $3), cut to fit and nailed to wall

 Lampshade recovered with burlap ($4)

Old plywood tabletop ($1), paint I already had

'A' from Hobby Lobby ($2), paint I already had

Used the leftover wood from the map frame to make these (inspired from Pinterest)

Gorilla glued the clips and hung up to hold 'masterpieces'

Whew, makes me tired just reading this.  Think I'll go relax now with some Diet Dew!

Saturday Shoutouts

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What You Can do to Help a Grieving Family

Saturday Shoutouts

7 Strategies For Coping With An Irritable Sweetheart Or Spouse

 

 

Saturday Shoutouts

Have We Come a Long Way, Baby?

When It Rains....

....it pours.  Thank you all so much for the kind words, prayers, and support for my family last week.  Darrell and I left Thursday morning for WV, arriving early in the evening.  We spent Friday at my mother's house just talking and catching up with relatives.  It's said there is a silver lining to every dark cloud and that's been proven to me over and over.  If anything good came from my daughter Shana's death, it was the mending of my relationship with my mother.  The past 5+ years have been so healing for my heart--and for hers, too, I like to think.  The silver lining last week was getting to know a brother I've never met before.  He went to live with his paternal grandparents before I was born and while we knew of each other, we've never had occasion to meet until now.  It was so wonderful!  I immediately loved him and his wife--not to mention their grandson Jake!  We had so much in common and I look forward to visiting with them again.

I'm sure you've heard of the tornadoes last week.  While we were at my mother's funeral Friday night, a huge storm came up.  We could hear the thunder, pouring rain, and hail outside.  Luckily, we never even lost electricity and the service proceeded as planned.  Darrell and I had planned to leave after the funeral and headed off in one direction while my sisters and their husbands headed in the other.  We didn't find out until Saturday morning what happened to them after we separated.

The closer they got to my mom's house, the more trees were down, until finally they couldn't go any further.  They parked the car and proceeded on foot, climbing over trees while wearing heels and dresses.  When they finally arrived at the house, it had been hit by a tornado and was almost completely gone.  Next door to my mother's is my sister's house--it was hardly damaged.  On the other side of that house is my other sister's--her house is gone, too.  Almost unimaginable.

Here's the news video that aired Saturday night.  This is my sweet sister Sharon.  Other family members can be seen in the background.  It's hard for me to believe that just a few hours before, I was sitting on that front porch.  Fortunately, their electricity was restored Sunday evening, as it snowed about 3 inches that night.  Please keep these people in your prayers, as well as so many others who have lost homes or family members recently.

http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/TORNADO_DAMAGE_141329303.html#.T1ONrkKyjCg.facebook

(click on "Woman Says Mother's Funeral Saved Her Life)