Thursday, May 26, 2011

bringing out the ducks and seeing yellow!


i've had these ducks for a while.
in our last house they sat perched atop our
large built-in's.



in this house they have been sanctioned to the hall closet with
some of the items i couldn't bare to part with when
i was "simplifying."


but now they are front and center on the mantel.
i also threw up a few books, some blue ball jars, and a colorful
little crafty candle stick holder.
craving more yellow in the house i spray painted
an old mirror that had been gathering dust in our shed.


it's similar in color to this dresser across the room which i love.
say yes to yellow!

back to the mantel.
it's pretty simple. . . i just gathered stuff from around the house.
but it feels fresh and it makes me smile.



once again, i apologize for the poor quality pics.
i wanted to show you the bottom, though, as it's getting a
face lift soon.
we recently took the fireplace insert out - it was brass that i had
spray painted black - so that i can do a whitewash
treatment on the brick.
'twill be interesting.
i'm a little nervous since you can't really go back to the brick
once that's done, ya know?

while i do my research on that i made use of the space.


we have lots of books floating around the house that need a place to
land. those built-ins i mentioned earlier? we don't have any in this house
so i am having to get creative with where our books are stored.
they are in nooks and crannies all over the house.


i also didn't want to pack away my candles so
i just brought them from the mantel to the  hearth
and threw up a few empty frames behind them.


i'm kinda diggin' it.

also, it's hot.


yes, it's may and that needle is pushing 100!

y'all stay cool this weekend and have a great
memorial day weekend!

i'm linking up with kevin and layla at the lettered cottage today!
go check it out cause there will be lot's of mantel inspiration.
and as usual, the lettered couple's mantel is amazing!


Thursday, May 5, 2011

the den is done


i finally finished planking the wall in our den.
man it took a long time to finish that one little wall!
but that's how it is when you pay as you go i guess.
i have been buying the planks as i make cash off selling
random items on craig's list.

if you want to make over a space in your house but
are short on funds don't overlook getting
rid of some things around your house that you don't really need.
or things that you aren't crazy about.
doing it this way has really helped me to simplify.
and how can you go wrong getting rid of
things you don't really love in order to make your home
a place you do love? you can't! 
and best of all. . . you don't mess with the budget!

quickly, to refresh your memory, you can read here to see the
"before" till last week pictures.

and here is my finished wall.


i also took down the yellowish faux bamboo roman shade
from the previous owners and threw up my old
stand by curtains, aka, drop cloths.


the planks are mdf and are a little under 1 x 6 .
i ran a 1x 4 across the top, caulked and painted it out
to finish it off. and yes, that is popcorn ceiling.
it's all over the house and i am banking on it coming back into
style one day. what?


geez, sorry i didn't straighten and fluff the pillows for you! this is why
i will never make it big as a home blogger!
anyway. . .
it's really hard to get a full picture of this room. another reason
i need a new fancy schmancy camera with a wide angled lense.
alas, my point and shoot will have to do for now.

now that the wall is done i am itching to change the
grouping above the sofa but that will have to wait as well.


my herbs have gone nuts so they are showing up all over my house
as i wait for my zinnia, shasta daisy, and black eyed susan to bloom
and take over all my blue ball jars and old coke bottles.


the painting, by the way, was done by my brother many years ago.
i've always been drawn to it and love the contrast
it brings to this otherwise cheery space.


i'm on the hunt for a new lamp shade but other than that
i am calling this room done. well, as done as i get anyway.
i'm always tweaking! 

before
(as entry is being opened up)


after


linking up with donna at funky junk interiors
and erin at 3 meadow lake cottage

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

bringing up boys


“I rode my bike for 8 miles on the trail. And I flipped over the bars like this (demonstration) and hit a metal sign. I might be a legend.” – 8yo

“Mom? Whales. . . or trees. Which one?” - 4 yo

“mom. . . mom. . . mom. . . mom. . .mom. . .” – 6 yo

“mom! Why you toot? You not daddy! – 4 yo

“I’m full. Can I have dessert now?” – 8 yo

“I don’t want a turkey sandwich. I want a cookie. Five of them.” – 4 yo

“mom, take this.” – 6 yo

“what took so long for these shorts to get clean?” – 8 yo

“I did take a bath. . . I don’t know why there is still pizza sauce on my face.” – 8 yo

“mom? Rain or. . . trucks. Which one? – 4 yo

“MIIIILLLLLK” – 6 yo

“I don’t like flowers. I like guns and basketball.” – 4 yo

“mom, i like to burp. You like to burp?” – 4 yo

“mom, my reading level is 5.8. what’s yours?” – 8 yo

“I didn’t pee on the toilet seat, he did it.” – 4, 6, 8 yo

“I don’t know how the bath water got on the bathroom ceiling.” – 4, 6, 8 yo

“I did not break the lamp, spinner did it. No, bean did it. Wait, no, dad did it. *sigh* okay, I did it.” – 4 yo

"hey mom, listen to this. i can burp and toot at the same time." - 8 yo


Monday, May 2, 2011

naptime diaries



meet jesse.
she and her husband, nick, and
their three little ones
have become an active part
of our church plant.

they are with us for a season
and then, Lord willing, they plan
to go do the same in boston.
plant a church that is.

"planting"
that is the language used
for beginning a church from scratch.
i once thought it strange but now i find
it appropriate.


everyone that tends a garden knows that
planting requires a great deal of
care, attention, watering, light, the right kind of soil,
the right kind of food,
pulling weeds so the plant doesn't get
choked out, patience, and so on.

that's how our plants grow.
and that's how the church (the people) grows.
we need to be fed and poured into.
we need a good foundation.
we need to be constantly pulling
"weeds" from our own life
that threaten to choke us spiritually.
we also need to be in community - doing
it all together. not just receiving encouragement
but offering encouragement.


jesse has a real desire to encourage.
to plant seeds of hope and truth into other
women and watch them grow.
just as she is growing and learning
and struggling and rejoicing herself.

it won't take you long to see that on her blog,
which you can find here.
 this week she is celebrating
women with a fun giveaway and i
thought i would let you know.

i threw in a couple of items for the giveaway. nothing
fancy - one of my chalkboard pots and a couple of
frames. they are leftover items from the stock
i had at the thomas company.
(i pulled that stock, btw, don't think i ever mentioned
that or changed the info here on the blog.
i'll get to that. soon, very soon.)
anyway, go check it out. you are sure to find
something you like.

i for one love the fabric necklace and may have
to drop a hint to pastor j about that one.

::on the quinby cottage project front::
the den planking is complete. on the next
bright sunny day i will get some pics.
i forgot how dark it is inside
during the summer with the
tree canopy around our house.
when it's cloudy outside you can forget about
taking any decent pictures. and let's face it,
my pics struggle enough as it is.