N Your Dreams

February Packaging

2012-02-09T08:29:00.000-07:00

Valentine's Delivery

Happy 100th Birthday, Arizona!

Feb. 14th is more than Heart day..

It is also Arizona's birthday and this year

Arizona will be a century old.

Accountable

2012-02-07T10:03:00.000-07:00

Polished and Beautiful

Last night, after coming home from running errands....one of which was taking my Nikon camera for repair... I spotted the dish that had not been given a bath. I almost said.." Fooey, will do it tomorrow." I then thought... " Nope, must do it now and take a picture to keep myself accountable."

Soooooooooooooooooooooooooo...

All day long I get to go around singing my praises for being accountable!

Now I will button up my mouth and go prepare supper. I am trying a new recipe out of Southern Living for Chicken Pot Pie. I'll let you know how it turns out!

Hope you have a perfect accountable day!

The Results

2012-02-06T08:21:00.000-07:00

This beauty had over 30 years of tarnish.

I know because it was a wedding gift to my brother over 30 years ago. They did not want it so it has been in my cupboard that long collecting tarnish.

This took about an hour and a half of hard work.

The back still needs some effort but this was the last piece I did and my fingers were water logged and tired.

The tea service was easier as I try to clean it more regularly..

Well, I would hope so.. come on, 30 years? Ridiculous.

My mother would not think it is finished. She was a perfectionist. I think I have mentioned that before. She would have all the tarnish removed, even if it took all day to do so.

A friend emailed me that she prefers the tarnished look.

I am a half and half girl...

I like tarnish in the groves to give definition but I like the flat surfaces shiny.

What is your preference?

I can see myself in the pitcher taking the picture!

I am using my iPhone for picture taking.

My expensive Nikon camera is reading ERR.

I accidentally left it in Florida when we came back to AZ

My dear AZ friends, Thom and Suzanne, visited the condo and mailed it to me. I must get it in for repair. Not that I know how to use it off auto. To my delight though, Kevin, from the site,

The Lettered Cottage, is going to have an online class in beginning photography and a beginning photo shop class also.

After cleaning all up from polishing, I walked in my bedroom and saw this beauty. Hopefully it will get a bath today!

Enjoy your day!

Tarnished

2012-02-05T07:56:00.000-07:00

Tarnished but Still BeAuTiFuL !

My heart has been tarnished over the last few years, with losing my mother, my daughter, and other personal circumstances.

As I was organizing some ( well, a lot ) of things, in the garage, to sell, I found the top two pieces of silver. I had totally forgotten about them. The Silver Service was my mom's.

It has just occurred to me my heart is similar to the silver.

With work and time, my heart is having more moments of sparkle.

Today I hope to start working on bringing more sparkle to some of the silver in my life.

Much more appealing to me than football.

Super Silver!

Today

2012-02-04T07:35:00.000-07:00

hope

TODAY

gives you

many reasons

SMILE!

Happy New Year !

2011-12-31T18:44:00.000-07:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I borrowed this picture from my friend, Kim May Johnson's, facebook page.... So lovely.... Here is hoping 2012 is lovely for each and everyone!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-23T19:34:00.001-07:00

Happy Turkey Day!

Texas Road Trip

2011-10-04T06:24:00.000-07:00

I can't even begin to tell you all the projects I have worked on since last posting months ago. I hope to get some posted in the future. I kept thinking I would post as I went along turning our Florida Beach condo into a home. Alas, as soon as I completed one project I dove into the next and so it went for the last few months.
Last week I went on a roadtrip. I have taken this trip many times in the past and each time it brings some delightful memories. One of my friends who accompanied me, Dianne, has a blog and she took many pictures during our antique adventure in Texas.
The picture above shows the restaurant where we ate lunch many a day! Yum! Dianne has started posting about our trip. If you hop over to her blog you will be able to see many more pictures of the glorious sites we saw!

In Memory of My Daughter, Kelly Amber DuPriest

2011-06-07T07:44:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favorite pictures of Amber, with her son, Chandler.

It was a year ago today that my daughter, Amber, was killed.
It was a year ago tomorrow that is on her death certificate, as she did not reach the coroner's office until after midnight.
It was a year ago day after tomorrow that I received the call that gave me the news.
I have had darling emails expressing thoughts of me on this anniversary of my daughter's death.
One of them prompted me to think about the old thoughts about sound...
Is there really any sound if no one is around to hear it... the tree crashing...
For two days Amber was dead and we had no idea of the event....
Until that call it wasn't real...there was no sound...
To honor her memory, as she was the best Interior Designer and DIY girl I have ever known...
I am posting my latest makeover project...
Dining Room Chairs for the condo..

I mentioned in my last post ? I believe it was my last post, my bestest friend, Suzanne and I hit the jack pot at Good Will a week and a half ago, in Destin, Fl. Furniture that had been at the store for a week was 25% off. Furniture that had been there two weeks was 50% off. The chairs were in the latter category and cost me $7.50 a chair!!!! I don't know what made me think to even sit in one as they were NoT my style and, in my humble opinion, were screaming UgLy.. not cottage at all! I wish I had taken a picture of them before we painted them.. I was at the condo working on one thing and my husband offered to spray paint for me. I forgot I had not taken a before picture. I did take a picture of a piece of the metal that did not get covered with the first coat. You will have to use your imagination to see the entire chair in this goldish copperish color... ugly, ugly, ugly.

But, comfort being a high priority for this small condo, I ventured over and sat my butt down and took a load off... then the wheels started turning.... O.K. spray paint the chairs, recover the cushions with drop cloth fabric and sew on some doilies ( I brought lots with me from AZ.. somehow I KnEw I would be needing them )

so they will tie in with the table.....

If you missed my post about this table you can see it here.

Heck, for $7.50, let's give it a try! I had brought with me a vintage Singer featherweight machine I inherited from my husband's aunt.... so cool... she even had a little note about the year she bought it and where it was purchased.

I had it serviced in TN before coming on down to Florida so I thought it was ready to go....I also thought it would be a work horse since it only straight stitches, is all metal, etc.etc.etc.... WrOnG..... could not handle heavy sewing, AT ALL....... My head starts to hurt....... have to buy a sewing machine? Oh No!!!!!!!!!!!!! Years ago, and I mean YeArS AgO, my husband wrapped up a picture of a sewing machine for Christmas, for me. He wanted me to pick out the one I wanted. I never bought one. Why? Because I researched and researched and researched and could not decide which one was the best! Now, here I am in Florida, and I am going to be forced to buy a sewing machine to work on slip covers for all of these Good Will finds. Panic is running through my head... I started researching again and all of a sudden I decided this was ridiculous...more than one person had recommended Kenmore to me...Their machines are made by Janome but are priced much more friendly. I looked at the models online.. found the closest Sears store that carried it and asked my husband to get in the car with me.. we were going on an adventure. Bought a sewing machine, went out to eat supper at a new restaurant and came home and started sewing. So far, I love this machine.

This is the machine that made the covers for the chairs. I am keeping my fingers crossed it continues to get the job done!

I still plan to paint the little circles of wood you see with the grey paint and then I might just glue a vintage white button over the little dot in the center...

Hope you turn whatever is ugly in your life into a thing of beauty!

Latest Project and Funny Story

2011-06-02T13:36:00.001-07:00

We are hanging out in Miramar Beach, waiting on our condo to be finished. As with most construction projects, this one has had it's challenges. We have been quite busy and I always hate when I haven't posted in awhile as I get so far behind in what I should be sharing. The latest happening though, and a husband napping, has prompted me to tell a cute thing about the above dresser. This dresser is going to house the sink in the hall bathroom. We picked it up in TN and brought it down to Florida. I, of course, brought all my stash of chalk paint, as well. This past week, on the deck of our condo, I stripped the top and stained it again with Special Walnut stain. I then painted the body of the dresser with Old White Chalk Paint and I used dark wax on top of clear wax. I did discover, when using white paint, I should mix some dark wax with the clear. I like the look better. After a lot of elbow grease I got off enough of the dark wax, where I had applied it on the side, to be to my liking. Then I started sanding to distress the piece. At first I just sanded the edges, but as I sanded, the piece just kept calling to me to sand more. The more I sanded the more I liked it. Look at the pictures below to see the finished project. I still need to buff the top. My cute little tale is after the last picture.

When we went by the condo yesterday to check on progress, we talked to Tommy, the foreman. We took him outside to look at the piece for the bathroom. He looked at it, then at us ( me inparticular ) and said, " Are you going to paint it or anything?"....Randy and I looked at each other and grinned ear to ear. Of course I told him I had just finished painting it..

I don't think it is to his taste!

He was really cute about it though.

He told me I did a really good job if the goal was to make it look old!

He also tried to talk me into letting him pour on some kind of top...

"No, No, No, I replied...it is just how I want it!"

I will take pictures of course when it is installed to share.

Lots more projects are in the works...

Hit the jackpot at Good Will one day last week!

Yesterday I bought LoTs of drop cloths!

Hubby up so off to work some more..
I am linking up with Miss Mustard Seed Furniture Feature Friday!

On The Road

2011-05-14T21:13:00.000-07:00

Please forgive my tardiness for saying I am on the road. I am not sure of my posting schedule, as I am not sure of my schedule in any regards right now! CeCe

The Latest Chalk Paint Project

2011-05-06T22:37:00.002-07:00

Another shipment arrived last week-

the third one

This is serious stuff folks-

I am ordering colors for which I have no present use!

This shipment brought

Louis Blue

Cream
Henrietta
Country Grey

2 more cans of Old White

Dark Wax

Another Wax Brush

Another can of Clear Wax

This dresser will go in the guest room of the beach condo.

It is one of the ones I got for $60.00 at an estate sale a couple of weeks ago.

This is the mirror...

sorry about the flash...

Truly I am so sorry that I have not even learned how to turn off my flash...

KnOw

ridiculous!

I also forgot to take a picture of the finished mirror..

I will do that later.

Let's move on, shall we?

The first thing I did was strip the top of the dresser..

I had been admiring the way Miss Mustard Seed leaves the top of many of her items stained.

By the way, my husband stopped to pick up some stripper for me at Home Depot. I gave him no direction on what brand to purchase because frankly, I have never used a brand that I thought was worth the money..

BUT

that has changed.

He bought

and I must say it worked like a charm.I also had him purchase some

Minwax Dark Walnut stain.. another product Miss Mustard Seed uses.

Upon reading the back of the can I saw they recommended using a prep product for the wood to prepare it for staining.

DrAtS

I didn't want to go to stop and run to the store..

Soooooooo

I proceeded..

Big, Huge Mistake

Streaked.. looked awful

I decided I would just paint it..forget the stained top.

But I told my friend, hair dresser, Lindsey about it and she advised me to strip it again or I would be sorry down the road.

I took her advice to heart and stripped it all over again.

Now, here is the pathetic part.

I found the suggested product for preparation not at the store but on my shelf of supplies in the storage room! I couldn't believe it. I don't ever remember using it before but obviously I purchased it for some project... or maybe it is like me buying the chalk paint.. I just thought I might be using it some day!

This time the stain looked much better!

Don't skip this step when you strip and stain!

Soooooo

now the top is stained..

What color to paint on the dresser?

I started out painting it Versailles

I liked it.

BUT

I wasn't sure about what color I really wanted to use in the condo with the Duck Egg Blue I already had going on so I decided to repaint..

I used Duck Egg Blue not diluted.

I then outlined the accents with Old White.

I hated it.

I wished I had left it Versailles.

Now What?

Paint it again?

I decided to white wash over it with thinned down Old White.

O.K.

this I could live with!

But wait, I got Dark Wax with my new delivery.

Let's see what that does to the piece, shall we?

You can see on the side and corner the difference from the drawers that have not been waxed.

I finished putting Dark Wax on the entire piece and then attached the original hardware which I had painted white. Looks pretty bad, huh? But wait...after Dark Waxing....

Beautiful

All Finished

I LOVE IT

I am linking up with http://www.betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/

Stenciled Doily Table

2011-04-30T08:19:00.001-07:00

I have always loved doilies. I just like the look of them. They are lacy and just plain fun.

I probably started loving them in grade school when we used them to make these...

It is hard for me not to buy them when I see them in a store even when not presented in the doily form. The shelf edge below is an example.

My love of them is what inspired the below window treatment. Simple doilies folded over a curtain rod.

My love of them is also what inspired my

Doily Table

First I ordered some vinyl stencils off the Internet. I simply googled vinyl doilies and went from there choosing a design.

I had already received my first shipment ( yes, I have had more... three total, to be exact )of Chalk Paint.

I mixed two parts Paris Grey with one part Old White to use for stenciling.

I can't get over how blue this grey looks in pictures. It does not look this blue in person!

When I started the table looked like this.

I had already done a makeover on the table. It is the one below that I got at an estate sale a couple of months ago.

First I painted the entire table with Old White Chalk Paint and let it dry.

Next I took the mixture of Old White and Paris Grey and stenciled the doilies around the top of the table. After I stenciled the first one I went to the opposite side and stenciled another one. Once I had stenciled two, I started measuring the distance in between the doilies so they would be evenly spaced. Below is what it looked like when I had finished all the doilies. I did eight of them around the circumference of the table.

Once I had finished stenciling I painted the rest of the table top in the Paris Grey/Old White mixture.

The first two doilies I stenciled I used way too much paint on my brush. I was happy with it until on the third doily I used the stenciling principle I had learned years ago... you don't need much paint. The third stencil looked great and so it went around the table.

I thought I could live with leaving the first two alone but I just couldn't stand it and I decided to fix it before I went any further and sooooooooo

out came sand paper.

I simply hand sanded the area where the stencil was..repainted in Old White and did the stencil again.

I was very glad I fixed the two first ones.

After everything dried I waxed the table with Annie Sloan's clear wax.

And here is the finished product!

I love it..

It will be going to Florida in the beach condo cottage.

I am not sure yet what kind of chairs I will be using with it but I do plan to make seat cushions similar to the ones shown in the picture above... with doilies, of course!
I am linking up with Metamorphosis Monday.

Exciting News

2011-04-25T14:36:00.000-07:00

I was just featured on Better After!

You can visit here!

The Chair In All It's Glory

2011-04-24T08:34:00.000-07:00

The Chair

The chair during deconstruction..

I thought I had taken more pictures...

I am sure I did but I cannot find them so you will have to use your imagination. It took a long time just to get the nail heads out of this chair. Afterwards I started ripping off fabric.

At some point, I went to my computer and googled upholstering...

What in the world was I thinking?

Just because I had been able to slip cover one couch sort of successfully, I now thought I could upholster a chair??????

H-E-L-L-O

Well, sometimes my brain does not work properly....

Maybe I should be saying lots of time my brain does not work properly!

O.K., so the advice I got, from reading several tutorials, was to take lots of pictures as you disassemble the piece. I did this, I know I did this! Also, the first piece you dissemble will be the last piece you put back on..

Also suggested, was trying not to cut up the different pieces so you could use them for a pattern.

OOPS...

I had already cut into a couple of pieces.

Soooo... back out to the garage I went and started once again taking more pieces off the chair.

Then I got to

the pleats on the front. Oh My..

each one of those little pleats is a roll of batting in and of itself. Also, do you notice the buttons? It was at this point that I was ready to scream...

My husband advised me to let him take it to the trash and give up. He said I got the other furniture pieces at such a good price, to just let this chair thing goooooooooooo

Do any of you look at the site Better After?

I was taking a break and checking on blogs and there she was.

Lindsey, of Better After was posting about starting a new section on her blog. I think it was going to be called

Better Before.

It was to be pictures of disaster projects.

I couldn't believe it..

I started laughing..

I was a pinch away from taking the pictures and sending them to her for maybe the first post on the new feature.

BUT

every time I thought about putting the chair in the trash I could just picture some other crafty female stopping out front, throwing my chair in the car and taking it home to turn it into a treasure.

Soooooooo,

I started over.

I got muslin and stapled it back on all the places I had removed the upholstery. I took more batting and put it over all those little tufts and pleats.

My husband said the chair looked like it had just gotten out of surgery! Smile...

I went to a local shop that sells all kinds of fabric and upholstery items and had a new cushion cut to go in the seat.

The chair seat was very low to begin with and the springs were old so the new seat fit right in with the remake plans.

Then

I started my slipcover.

It took two whole drop cloths

( because of cutting a couple of pieces twice)

but now I have myself a GrEaT new chair,

if I do say so myself!!!!

I LoVe it!!!!!

I am so PrOuD

of the results!!!!

So, with no further ado

I give you...

My New Chair

Isn't her pleated little skirt cute?

The seat looks gigantic here for some reason..

just ignore it and admire the little pleats...

on the skirt..

not the back of the chair

I have a feeling those pleats on the back of the chair are for a VERY ADVANCED

Upholstery Class!

Side view.. the panels are one of the things I cut twice.

The first go around I tried having the sides cut as one piece..

didn't work..

so I started over and put piping around the back side panels.

For the back of the chair I used buttons rather than putting in a zipper.

I even made bound buttonholes,

something I have not done in years and years..

They aren't great bound buttonholes if one examines them but they look great just looking at the chair. :)

Isn't the carving on the arms and legs great?

I made little ties for the arms.

And this sassy lady does not mind lifting her skirt one bit to show off more of her legs!

One last look...

I can't help myself..

I smile every time I go by it..

My husband told me he was wrong about throwing out the chair...

He teased me and said he's been wrong before and he will be wrong again.

We both think the chair is very comfortable and will be great in our Master bedroom in Destin!

And just wait till you see my latest project!

I best get back to working on it.

Oh and by the way,

I am back on the new blogger and now, for some reason, it is allowing me to upload the pictures.
Yippee!

Happy Easter Everyone!

The Reveal

2011-04-19T08:43:00.004-07:00

What a workshop I have...

Garage, back patio, on and on...

Anyway, here are the after pictures of last week's project..

You will notice all the stuff on top of the dresser.

The tumbled marble tile is the floor of the bathrooms and the kitchen back splash.The two boards on the left are possible colors for the walls. The board with the blue green are possible colors to wash the bead board that is being installed between the beams in the Living Room and Dining Room.We are using the very lightest color which is SW Window Pane. The beams will be white washed.

The rest of the ceilings in the condo will be Powder Coated White Ceiling Tins like the ones we have in the cottage in Pinetop. More pictures later on of these choices.

The round mirror is unrelated.

I had just painted it with Versailles Chalk paint to look at the color.

I mixed Paris Grey Chalk Paint with the Country White for the drawers and sections of the mirror. The rest of the dresser and night stand are painted with Country White.I used a small brush to paint the detail work.

I used Valspar antiquing glaze and then finished the pieces off with Hannants's clear wax.

In these pictures the grey looks blue. It is interesting as it seems to depend on the light or one's mood as to what color the drawers look.

This week I am working on the chair, the other dresser and some vintage high school auditorium seats. More about all of those later...

I must get back to work.. or should I say play?????

Hope your day is as playful as mine is intended to be!

Last Week's Projects

2011-04-18T10:53:00.005-07:00

A week ago Friday, I went to an Estate sale in Phoenix. I had spied some items online which I thought I would be interested in for the condo in Destin, Florida. My husband ended up coming with the truck and we filled the back of my jeep and the truck with most of the items below.

You can't see the carving on the legs and arms of this chair here.... I will get closer shots later. I love the lines of this chair and it is quite comfortable. I paid $50. for the chair. Do I have a tale to tell about this chair but that will wait for later.... I will give you a hint... see all those little pleats in the upholstery? What or what was I thinking? " Alright, already, stop it Ce Ce... later girl, later! " I have a hard time not going on about this chair.... more pictures to come...

Mirror that belongs to the dresser below

French Dresser

Drawers are hiding behind the middle door-

This piece had $75.00 on it but I got it for $60.00

More about it, as well, later...

This piece I already had. My friend Suzi and I bought it on one of our cross country trips... I started gouging out the cork before I took a before picture... What a mess. My intention is to replace the cork..

French Nightstand that matches the below dresser and mirror.

Again, I removed a handle before I remembered to take a before shot.

This piece I got for $25.00

Mirror for below dresser

Another French Dresser

$78.00 on this piece but I also got it for $60.00

This last dresser, mirror and nightstand are the pieces that were completely finished this past week. Now I am trying to figure out how to show them to you...

Here is my dilemma. For some reason I am not able to upload pictures in the new blogger. I have had to revert back to the original and I hate it. I have to remember what order to put the pictures in as I upload them. I cannot move them into position...

Therefore, if I upload them now, they will be at the beginning of this post and you will see the after before you see the before! So, should I show them to you or wait to show you more in another post????

Much of life is out of order at times so I guess it really doesn't matter in what order they come but I think I will post the after pictures in another post. I also think I will try once again to upload pictures in the new blogger. If anyone knows why this is happening to me I would love to know how to fix it.... My brain is too challenged to have to figure out how I want the pictures to appear when I am uploading them... I need the capability to move them around!!!!

Hope you are having an orderly day!!!!

Card Catalog to Craft Cabinet Makeover

2011-04-11T08:03:00.020-07:00

This was my daughter's card catalog. When she bought it, it was a mess. She painted it white and got it all organized to hold all of her craft goodies. Over the years it received some wear and tear. When Amber, my daughter died, I inherited the cabinet... Usually it is the other way around, a daughter inherits the mother's things. Anyway, I like to use it. It reminds me of all the things we had in common and all the fun times we had crafting together. I knew I wanted to make some more repairs and maybe give it a makeover. When I saw the new tissue line by Seven Gypsies the idea came to decoupage the cabinet. Two large bottles of Mod Podge later,lots of tearing and wearing of paper, new door hardware from Home Depot and I am ready to show you the new cabinet!

The Old Look

You can see the damage to the bottom of the cabinet and the sort of ugly doors. This damage was here when she bought the cabinet.

Children's crayon marks.. Not my grandson's, of course. Smile. No Truly, they are not due to him!

The Makeover!

A Side View

I made all new tags, glued all the drawers again inside and covered the pull outs, as well. I am quite happy with it's new look. I think Amber would approve also.

I linked up with

http://missmustardseed.blogspot.com/search/label/Furniture%20Feature%20Friday/

Beofre and After Chalk Paint

2011-04-06T13:40:00.002-07:00

My husband started taking off the straps before I had taken a picture.

There were leather straps on each drawer.

Shelf first painted all over with Paris Grey

and then a coat of half Old White mixed with Duck Egg Blue

and thinned with water. Lastly some licks with some Old White thinned with water.

Distressed by sanding so a tinge of the red shows through.

Estate sale find for $69.00

Baskets were painted with Duck Egg Blue.

The color was a little bolder than I wanted so I then created the new color by mixing Old White with the Duck Egg Blue and thinning it with water. I painted the wooden part of the piece with this mixture. I then swiped some of each basket with some Old White thinned with water. I read about the technique of keeping the brush straight so just the tips of the bristles were going over the basket, in order for some of the basket to remain the original color. Lastly, the leather strap pulls were replaced with glass knobs and pulls. I love it! This piece will go in the foyer of the beach condo to hold phone books, menus from restaurants, beach towels in the bottom drawer and who knows what else!

I have already drug two more projects in from the garage.

Seems I seldom don't have a project of one type or another on which I am working, or should I say playing?!

It Finally Came!

2011-04-05T08:05:00.008-07:00

Would love to go to a class here!

The label on my wonderful delivery...

The paint characterized as the best paint in the world!

And I must say, I agree!

The colors I ordered.

Graphite

Duck Egg Blue

Versailles

Old White

Paris Grey

I had planned to post right away.

I tried to post right away.

For some reason I have not been able to upload pictures.

I googled and found someone that said to revert back to the old settings. I did this today and it worked. I am not used to using the old setting. I don't like that I have to retrieve the pictures as I want them posted...backwards. I am already mentally challenged when I post so I don't need the extra challenge. I read I should be able to go back to the new setting once I post in the old setting. We will see.

I have some before and after pictures to post but I lack putting the hardware on one of the items. Honey is getting longer screws for me at the hardware store this morning. I hope to post the before and after pictures this afternoon.

So far, this paint, has led up to it's hype.

I absolutely love it...

I have a question into Virginia of the paint institute about the shelf life. I think I read that it does not go bad.

I haven't tried the Versailles color yet. I am already wanting to add colors and paint, paint, paint.

My hope is upon posting this I can revert back to the new settings and post a couple of before and afters this afternoon!

New Looks

2011-03-27T09:19:00.000-07:00

Refurbished Patio Furniture

New Paint

New Glass

New Cushions

I made little padded sleeves for the backs of the chairs to make them more comfortable. The pleated edge was inspired by

Miss Mustard Seed.

More Refurbished Furniture

I got these two vintage chairs and ottomans about three years ago for $15.00 total at a local flee market.

We finally got around to replacing all the missing straps, cleaning and painting them. I had new cushions cut and made the covers and Ta Da.... Very Comfortable seating.

I plan to move these chairs down to the other end when we eventually get another vintage couch and chairs for this end.

Chandler has a new look too!

Braces

He will have this look for the next 18 months..

second phase of his treatment..

They will come off right as he starts high school.

Perfect!!

Yesterday my friend Bonnie, her DIL, Debra, and I took a soldering class at Mystic Paper in downtown Mesa, AZ.

We love this store!

I used pictures from Destin for my images since we are in the middle of redoing a condo there. Seascape is the name of the area and 4D is our Unit number..

And on the other side is the name of the town,

us looking out at the sunset

and a picture of the sunset ( which is blocked and a mess in this picture )In person it is quite beautiful.

And last up ...

My Annie Sloan books arrived,

along with the paint chart.

From two in the morning till four last night

I was on the computer trying to decide what colors to order. I wanted WaaaaaaaaaY too many!

I finally stopped myself at five colors, two waxes and brushes and I hit the buy button.

My heart wants more but my mind tells me to wait! I will try these out and let you know if I think they are as wonderful as Miss Mustard seed does. I hope to make some New Looks with this special paints soon after they arrive!!!!

Hope your Sunday has as much color in it as you desire..

In class yesterday, a young mother named Katie,

used black and white pictures of her children in her house and the result was just stunning.

So,,,, color days or black and white days..

Both can be special.

Droopy

2011-03-25T10:33:00.000-07:00

Like my roses that began to droop way too soon,

I have been feeling quite droopy about posting.

I am addicted to blogging but not my blog...

Others..

I have found so many wonderful design blogs and am blown away and overwhelmed by the talent out there.

I wish it inspired me to work more on making my blog wonderful

but it doesn't..

The reason...

I am way too busy thinking about trying out all the great ideas I am finding from all of these talented women!

Below is just a sampling of some of the blogs I have become addicted to. There are many more I must admit rather sheepishly.

If you visit them you will see what I mean.

I am hopeful this will give you some weekend pleasure!

http://missmustardseed.blogspot.com/

Make sure you check out Miss Mustard Seeds post about chalk paint. I have ordered two of Annie Sloan's books about using this paint to create lots of fun, beautiful pieces. I am so excited about this paint I find it hard to contain myself. I think you will, as well, if you have any interest in painted furniture!

http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/

Next up is this tutorial on Board and Batten. I am going to use the above in the living room, dining room, hallway and foyer of the Destin, Florida condo..

I love it!

/ http://theletteredcottage.net/california-country-style?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheLetteredCottage

See this house above..

The owner lived in it for four years, completely decorated it, and sold it completely furnished!!!!

You will not believe your eyes, I am telling you!!!!

Enjoy Your Weekend!

The Beauty of a Great Friendship Is

2011-03-16T18:31:00.000-07:00

It Grows Closer

And Closer

These beauties were left on my doorstep this morning by my beautiful, close friend, Janice!

Oh, Be Still My Heart!

2011-03-11T21:58:00.000-07:00

I am in LoVe...

This fabric is the same..

Took pictures today at Mesa Sales in Mesa, AZ.

Don't ask me why it appears such a different color.

It isn't....

The below picture is more true to the color..

I have GOT to use this..

the question is...

WhErE???

Because I want it EVERWHERE...

So much to do...

So little time...

Be Still My Heart!

Seems It Is Thursday Again!

2011-03-10T08:44:00.000-07:00

The After of my latest estate sale find..

See those keys hanging from the top lock? Luv it!!!

Remember the slip cover I made for the couch?

This is an original cushion.

I had new cushions cut as the springs in these were worn out..

Here are all the springs tucked inside the old cotton batting..

surely I can come up with something to do with them.

I was hoping they were like bed springs but alas, they are not.

They are just spirals straight up and down. They are all connected together so it will take some work to separate them.. no time for that now.. later!

And remember the bed I was painting for a client?

This is the only after of it and this is not really after.

I still had to glaze and sand.

It actually turned out to be a lot more work than I anticipated due to all the slats and turns on the post..

Oh well, it was delivered last night and she seemed happy.

Hubby and I shared in the profit since he certainly helped me with this project.

While painting the bed on one side, on the other side vintage outdoor furniture was being transformed. I forgot to take a before picture. I need to have a piece of glass cut for the table,

wood seats cut for the chairs and make cushions and covers for it all.. more work.. never finished with projects. One ends and another begins... Like everyone else who loves to create!

And the last picture for today is my latest find in blog land that I absolutely love...

Board and Batten

Isn't it fabulous?

I want to use this in the beach condo..

Short But Sweet

2011-03-03T18:20:00.000-07:00

The slip cover is finished.

I might never get the hang of this before and after thing. I don't have a picture of the before. I will take one sometime when the slip cover is off. The thing is...it has been off and back on so many times in the process of making it that I just don't feel like taking it off again right now to get a picture! One would think I would have remembered this earlier but NOOOOOOOOOO.... did not!

I am quite happy with the results. It is far from perfect but this was my very first try at a slip cover. It took some patience as I had to tweak more than once but I will be trying this again... I have a chair in the bedroom that matches this couch that needs to be covered. I have another sofa in the living room that needs a new cover..want to use the drop cloths on this one.

I have another sofa in my craft room that could use a new cover...

I think I have lots with which to practice more covers.

The View From the Back

I love the vintage crocheted trim I scored for $1.00!!!!

The Before Picture of the French desk...

The After Picture of the Desk and Chair

I covered the chair cushion in burlap.

I was waiting to take an after picture to show as I wanted to stage the desk but that has certainly not happened so I am going on and posting!

Yesterday I sanded more projects-

The dresser I purchased when I also bought the vintage trim.

The mirror is on the ground and you cannot see it..

Today I primed the pieces. I haven't decided for sure what color I want to use so it is sort of waiting, at this point.

This is a King bed I am doing for someone else.

This is a first for me. It is the first time I have taken someone else's piece and redone it for them. She wants it Shabby Chic white. We were going to be painting anyway so I decided to take the project on. Miss Kim of Sweet Sage Vintage sent the business my way as she was too busy to do it herself.

So, that and more is where I have been.. at the sewing machine and covered in paint.

From the looks of the flower beds I should be covered in plants and dirt. I hate that my beds are in the condition they are in but hubby and I decided there were more pressing matters on the inside this winter. Maybe next winter there will be a pretty after picture of the beds for you to see!

February 23, 2011

2011-02-23T00:25:00.000-07:00

Today would have been Amber's 40th birthday.
I MISS the parts of her that I loved.
Smile at someone today...
And remember a loved one that is missed.

Fabulous Finds

2011-02-22T08:09:00.000-07:00

Last week, on Vintage Bliss, I saw this necklace. I immediately wanted it.

Tricia makes the loveliest things.

She delivered it to my doorstep...

Luv it..

Wore it on Saturday to an Estate sale.

When I walked in the people running the sale complimented me on my outfit..

It was the Necklace they were complimenting... Trust me!

This is what my car looked like as I left the Estate sale.

I will show you better pictures later. It is still in the back of my car.

It is a Serpentine dresser, with beveled mirror and the best part---

Original Keys which lock the drawers!!!!!!!!

At the same sale I got yards and yards of this vintage hand crocheted trim. There was a box that said,"Your choice, $1.00. I got two pillowcases and four, yes, four, bunches of this trim. When I checked out the lady said, " Tell you what, I am just going to give you all of the linens for $1.00!!!!!!!!

YIPPEE!!!!!!!!

And this beauty came from another sale.. it happened to be in the most dismal looking trailer. I could not believe it was still there. It, along with two other frames, were the reason I went to the sale.

Someone saw me looking at the frames and he asked the person in charge the best price and bought them before I could.... well, it is alright... I got this one and luv it..

And those yards and yards of vintage trim have inspired me to try my hand at slip covering a couch.I am going to use the trim around the bottom. I hope I do not end up having to throw my efforts in the trash.Cutting out a slipcover, especially for this couch, is not an easy thing... at least for me. I have been also inspired to try my hand at this from reading a blog entitled Miss Mustard Seed. Take a visit. She is one talented lady.

Hope you have a great Tuesday!

My Valentines

2011-02-16T09:01:00.000-07:00

Started with this adorable card and a kiss from my husband...

My Dear Friend Bonnie delivered ( or her husband, Tim, did the delivering) these beautiful wonderful gifts. I won't reveal what is in the little container as I want to do this for some of you and I don't want to spoil the surprise...

Hum..

Might think about this one as it would be a gift for you ALL to see what is inside...

Might just change my mind and share soon so ALL of you can choose to do this for someone you love!

And lastly, when I walked into my craft pantry, this is what I saw. The heart cards ( which were in desaray and I had forgotten I even had them...the whole pantry is in somewhat of a disaray state...must do something about that!) had fallen and landed next to the Waterford light fixture my mother gave me. We plan to rehang it in our dining room. Unfortunately, one of the arms got broken when we moved it back to this house. Waterford only makes the arms every two to six months so we have to wait. Anyway, seeing the unexpected hearts next to the chandelier gave me a sweet moment with my mother. It was nice.

It was VeRy NiCe.

I hope you had a lovely Valentine's!

Happy Valentine's Day!

2011-02-14T08:03:00.000-07:00

May you all have a lovely Valentine's Day!

Long Distance Shopping

2011-02-12T09:31:00.000-07:00

Isn't this the cutest?

It is either going to become the base for two sinks for the Master Bathroom or will just be used as is.....

Suzanne has been shopping for me in Nolensville, TN

There is a treasure trove of adorable shops all nestled together.

This piece will become a sink base for a hall bath. The mirror will be removed and hung on the wall. Of course there will be lots of painting going on before this happens...

What color will I choose?

White

French Grey

AAhhh, I so love them both...

Not sure where this piece will go but it was so very sweet and such a great price and it is already painted and ready to be placed in a special place...

Master bedroom or guest? We will see...

Oh my, and this...

will be going either in the Dining Area,

The Living Area

There are sconces and another Chandelier but they will have to wait to be seen...

They will be in the Master Bath and Bedroom....

AND WHERE WILL THEY ALL BE GOING?

?????????????????

To The Beach!!!!!

When we were in Destin in November we purchased a beach condo.

We are very excited about this endeavor.

There will be much and I mean MUCH to be done.

I will be sharing pictures of what it looks like now in a future post so you can enjoy the makeover with me...

We are currently getting bids for the demolition and makeover.

Thanks to Thom Scott, Suzanne's husband, for providing us with the plan. He has also been invaluable with his advice and going to Destin to meet with contractors.

Suzanne, has also been scheming, shopping and collaborating, along with Scottye Crook and me to design a new, relaxing, beach getaway place to read, create and share good times.

Scottye and Jerry Crook are the friends who introduced us all to this fabulous Seascape community in Destin , Florida.

So, while redoing this Arizona home, we are also in the midst of redoing a Florida getaway...

We are busy people..

I wonder if we will know how to relax once all of this is completed!

For The Love Of Vintage and Buttons

2011-02-09T10:57:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was all about buttons...

Those many buttons bought at Round Top, Texas...

You know the ones...

The bags and bags and bags of buttons I bought...

I keep finding ways to use them...

Who doesn't love buttons?

Bathroom window with shade but no window covering to hide the top of the shade.

Now on all the Master bedroom and Bath windows hang these Burlap valences adorned with my wonderful buttons.

Burlap bag I use for a pillow covering...

Now all dressed up with buttons...

Lamp I have had for , oh, let's see now...

40 years.... I haven't been using it but Needed a lamp for my bedside table..

I was going to replace it when all of a sudden a light bulb moment came to me..

in my dreams, of course...

Why not just cover the bottom with scrapbook paper and add..

you guessed it,

Buttons to the shade...

The Finished Look

This is harder to see in pictures...

This is a dressing table that I had already stripped a million and one, or it seemed like it anyway, coats of paint from... and painted white. There were many cracks in the wood. The mirror being oval, had tiny sections of wood framing it and there were obvious gaps between the pieces.

My Solution?

Buttons, of course!

There are no longer any of those cracks... buttons galore cover the ugliness.

And I guess that will just about BuTtOn it up for now!

Some Changes

2011-02-06T09:16:00.000-07:00

The point of this picture is to show you the blank wall in the dining room.

You might also recognize the table and chairs....

The two leaves are stored in the closet.

All the seat cushions are now covered in burlap and the table is ready to be set.

That will not be happening for awhile as I am too busy working on other projects, like valences for the Master bedroom and bathroom, but more on that later.

While I am on the dining room table and chairs though. As it turns out, my favorite place to look at the chairs is on either side of the vintage ice box behind one of the couches. I just love the way they look there. I will post a picture of this setting later.

The first step in eliminating the empty wall was to dismantle a folding screen I had purchased on one of my fun buying trips to Round Top Texas. If you haven't been to the Marburger Antique show in Texas that happens twice a year... it is a must do thing. You can read more about it here.http://www.roundtop-marburger.com/

After removing the fabric and insets that held the fabric, I was left with the frame above.

Next came hanging my mother's Haviland china plates in the openings. My husband was given this task and he did a great job ! Truth be told though, I might have him raising the whole venue up about 12 inches. He does not know this yet. I am living with it, for the moment, to make sure it isn't alright as is.

Close up of the plates

The whole dining room minus the Chandelier that is yet to be hung.. another story in and of itself..

Remember those chairs...

They looked like this...

And now they look like this!

I wish I had a before picture of this piece.

It was a mess. It was my daughter's when she was a little girl.

It had a mirrored door on it ( which you will see below).

Anyway, the piece was dark walnut. Amber had cut a hole out of the back of the piece as she thought she was going to use it to hold a television. Another piece was cut out of the bottom which totally ruined the look of a drawer. It was just a mess. The shelves were warped. My husband put on a new back. He cut new shelves. He took the drawer out,that was messed up, above the drawer at the bottom and he removed the door. I started painting the piece and the door. See picture below.

And remember that drawer I said my husband removed?

This is it... It now sits on a shelf as a decorative item.

I best be getting busy on those valences.
Hope your day is a happy one!

Rabbit Hole

2011-02-04T20:34:00.000-07:00

Want to know what it is like to lose a child?
Go see it .... Rabbit Hole, that is.....

New Kitchen Window Treatment

2011-01-31T10:09:00.000-07:00

Kitchen Window With Shade

Spring Curtain Rod

Kitchen Window With Spring Curtain Rod Holding New Window Treatment

Can You Tell What It Is?

Now Can You?

It is what you think....

Paper Doilies purchased at the Dollar Store

I simply folded them in half,

glued the edges together along the bottom

and then slid them on the rod.

Inexpensive...

well, just plain

ChEaP!

I like it!

My Newest Addition

2011-01-29T08:32:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday, friends and I made another visit to several great shops in the Phoenix area. About two months ago, I saw the below couch. This picture was taken in the shop. I loved it but I resisted. Last Saturday, however, when my eyes saw it again, and there was a hold sign on it, my heart stopped. My girlfriend, Bon, looked and noticed it was past the date posted on the hold sign. I asked and yep, it wasn't on hold any longer... Done... bought it... Too many times I have not purchased something and gone back and been disappointed. It was a deal and often times, in the store, trust me, though fabulous, things are not often within my price range. Yesterday, my husband and I went back to pick it up. It now sits in our Great Room. Smile...

I am trying to decide if I am going to white wash the wood...

Will live with it as is while I finish up other projects !

Sneak Peak at the Almost Finished Dining Room Set

2011-01-27T08:23:00.000-07:00

Furniture and Fixture Update

2011-01-21T09:12:00.000-07:00

The Round Table

Back of the Chair Cushion

showing it has never been recovered in 59 years!

Honey got another light fixture hung..

This one is in the study.

Finished the sanding and cleaning yesterday of all the pieces.

Started applying base coat last night..

I did not get very far but at least everything is moved inside and ready for more of the fun stuff now !

I am still undecided on the color..

I have hair color today and that is one color that is decided upon ! :)

I will have more time to "think" on it, today !

Here I Go Again

2011-01-19T22:26:00.000-07:00

Estate Sale Purchases

Table has three leaves and was made in 1951..

It is stamped on the bottom of the table

Eight Chairs to go with table..

Upon removing the seats I discovered they have never been recovered...

they are marked 1952 so the set was probably bought in 1952..

My Favorite Purchase..

Double French Desk

Chair Bought that they had with desk..

It is an English style chair but the trim goes well with the desk...

There is another round table I purchased that somehow I did not get a picture taken...

As you can see, there has been lots of sanding going on around here...

I will get a picture of the round table, in the sanded state, and then as before..

Stay Tuned!

Another Day, Another Light Fixture Changed

2011-01-12T15:56:00.000-07:00

He almost got it down before I could get the Before picture!

The foyer after...

January 11, 2011 Before and After

2011-01-11T08:47:00.000-07:00

My blogging friend, Chia, left me a comment about planning a brighter and lighter 2011. She did not have a clue this was going to be my next before and after .... smile...

Before

After

Hope your day is light and bright!

Beofore and After, for Yesterday, January 10th

2011-01-10T09:19:00.000-07:00

Before

After

Tile For A Beach Condo

2011-01-09T16:37:00.000-07:00

I love this tile. It is just the look I want for our newly purchased beach condo, in Florida. ( There will be more about this in the future... I am not going to make the mistake of not taking before pictures this go around ! ) The look of white washed wood with the convenience of tile. You can see other tiles at their site http://www.missionstonetile.com/contact

The After

2011-01-08T22:08:00.000-07:00

January 6, 2011

2011-01-06T22:37:00.000-07:00

We are watching over the make overs but it isn't

going fast enough for us. All that happened today

was vacuuming away the sanding dust and

cleaning the pieces to be ready to paint.

We are getting a little bored hanging out with such

little progress happening.

Hopefully, tomorrow!

January 5,2011 The Befire

2011-01-05T20:14:00.000-07:00

Stay Tuned for the After

As you can tell, I started sanding before I thought to take a picture of the BEFORE.... which has been a big problem since there has been MUCH to show that is AFTER.... so wish I had taken BEFORE Pictures!!!!

January 2, 2011 It Was A Lovely Day!

2011-01-02T21:59:00.000-07:00

Happy New Year !

2011-01-01T20:21:00.000-07:00

New Year

New Month

New Day

Old Greeting

Happy New Year !

Vacation Smiles and Computer Woes

2010-11-30T14:47:00.000-07:00

Wish I knew where to begin but seems I don't know where to end either !
I have been away from home for over a month.. TN and FL and SC... Some exciting things and more news to come later..
Upon my return to AZ I started to get down to business on the Windows portion of my Mac... well, well, well.... seems sometime in the night, the computer ghosts... had to be those ghosts as neither my husband nor I have a clue how it would have happened, even though we have been assured by the computer Doctors it could not have developed this condition on it's own... anyway, seems another application lightly painted over my windows application.... what does this mean? It means my computer is now at the hospital to the tune of at least $300. to retrieve my lost data.... Friends.. Back up your files..
Back up your files..
Back up your files..
We are not sick, just the computer is sick...
We won't go hungry or cold from the expense...
We have learned first hand what we already knew to do but did not do....
Back up the files!!!!!!!!
So... just posting this post to say a short hello and I will be gone until I get my sweet sick Apple back. I am borrowing my husband's computer to write this to the world...
Back up your files!!!!
Hope all is well with you and I hope to visit each of you again soon..... I have been away from my sweet computer blogging world but you have been in my thoughts and someday soon I will have a marathon read like we do with our television shows....

A Late White Wednesday Turned Into Thursday Post

2010-10-28T07:05:00.000-07:00

The Rest of Day One and Day Two

2010-10-22T19:42:00.000-07:00

The Whole Hog's Worth of Fun!

It is true... that is a whole hog being barbecued ....

My Dear, Dear Friends, Thom and Suzanne

Suzi and Me

Getting ready to tell Thom to STOP at the below!

Today, the 22nd, Suzanne and I had to go back to the Above, so I could purchase an architecutual piece and a mirror, and an old tie rack ( to be used to hold handmade cards ) and then we found these Peanut Pumpkins.... the picture does not in any way shape or form do them justice... In real life they are pinker than any pumpkins I have ever seen...

I also took pictures of fall color that were so blurry they could not be salvaged.....:( :( :( ...

I must figure out what happened!!!!!!

Upon arriving to my room last night, this package awaited me.

Aren't they adorable?

It is a vintage picture... A few years ago, I saw this print in an antique mall and did not buy it... Wrong decision.... Suzi went back to buy it for me and it was gone... we have been looking for it ever since !!!!! May I just say heart throb of joy!!!!!!

So refreshing to be here !

The First Day

2010-10-21T22:12:00.000-07:00

The date is October, what? I don’t even know... maybe the 21st....

I am up in the air flying to TN. A year ago, on my trip, I sat by a lady who had lost her son.. Like me, she was retired and her son was not a young boy, but an adult....

This year, it is I, who has lost a child to death...

Last year I had lost my child to drugs, This year I have lost her to heaven...

I am grateful for this flight...

I am sitting by a lady and a son.... they are on their way to check out Vanderbilt University .... new beginnings... not endings.... they seem close and they have been engaged with each other and with me throughout the flight.....

It is refreshing.... instead of being sad about what I don’t have I have been happy for what they DO have....

I am in a better place than a year ago...

While there is much for which to be sad, there is much for which to be grateful....

I am grateful to have had a vision of my life passing through my mind in different stages....

With it came the clear realization, if only for a moment, that this stage of life, too, will be gone in an instant AND I have a choice....... I can choose to wallow the rest of my life in the pity of my sorrow or I can understand the pain, be grateful for the present, and slowly move forward, even if it is at the pace of the turtle, I am moving...... moving towards the light of the shadow, not the darkness.... moving towards the melody of the song, not the heavy beat... moving towards the lightness of the air and not the heavy fog.... moving towards freedom of the “what ifs” and the reality of the “what is”...... moving towards understanding while my life will never be the same again.... my life is.... I am here and I am my life...... every moment I am creating and shaping my life.......... The shape is up to me......... I hope it will be a full shape encompassing much, but at the same time a skinny one., narrow enough to fully appreciate each experience..... Huuuuummmmmmm, now there is a goal to reach towards ...........

A Different Vantage Point

2010-10-18T08:14:00.000-07:00

What one sees from the front

IS NOT

What one sees from the back !

Luckily, I did not do the damage...

My husband often tells me to be careful backing out of our very long driveway. :) :) :)

When I arrived in Pinetop weeks ago, I never noticed the vintage tub being different......UNTIL the next morning when we were having coffee on the front porch and my vantage point was from the back. Even then, my husband pointed it out to me... This is the second time he has hit the tub ! Me.... never.... smile....

We are similar to the tubs. From one vantage point we look in great condition....

Then, if you look carefully....one can see dents in our heart and soul....

The difference between the tubs and us, however, is my husband could not pry the dents out of the tubs .....

and US...

the dents are slowly being pulled out..

EVENTUALLY,

they won't be visible at all

There will still be a few, as is always the case. Our life experiences make us who we are..

We might not always like the experiences but our job is to continue to like US!

Hope you have a day that brings you a love of yourself!

Almost Wordless White Wednesday

2010-10-13T09:44:00.000-07:00

Attemting to turn white into green !

Wordless White Wednesday

2010-10-06T22:49:00.000-07:00

Almost Wordless White Wednesday

2010-09-22T13:11:00.000-07:00

The

Above

The

View

From

The

Below !

Two Photoshop Moments

2010-09-21T08:35:00.000-07:00

My Goal This Year

Photoshop Elements

Learning

Sl-O-O-O-O-O-wly

BUT

Learning

Below you will find two new beauties -

The first born belongs to my friend Bonnie

and

The second belongs to my friend Janice

Their beauty belongs to the world !

Ramblings Of My Mind

2010-09-19T12:07:00.000-07:00

Most Folks Are About As Happy As They Make Up Their Minds To Be

I have been reminded of this saying, by Abraham Lincoln, this month. It is the saying I chose last year, for my September quote for 2010. I also found it on a little note pad, lying ( or is it laying ? - So many of those English words I have not mastered ) around my work room ---

Sometimes it is hard to choose to be happy.

Sometimes life knocks you down so hard you wonder if you will ever be able to choose to get up and brush yourself off and choose to be happy again.

Sometimes, one minute one can choose to be happy and in the next minute, seemingly, out of nowhere, a wave of sadness ascends. It has been amazing to me how powerful and strong a hold each emotion has over my body and my senses.

When I was in CA, at the beach, with my dear friend, Janice --- she brought something up to me about myself ---

I, of course, know I am a control freak.

I had not recognized, however, through my posts, I seem to exhibit being in control, even through my sadness. I responded to her that I always try to be honest. She told me I am honest, but once again, even in my honesty, control comes through --

I try to be in control-

Especially of Myself

Well, Guess What --

Sometimes

Not

Control

Sometimes

Crisis

Regardless

trying

choose

happiness

and

being

control

BUT

porch

the

other

night--

I was silently having a conversation with God,

while enjoying my martini, looking out across the beautiful pine trees, moon rising in the sky, temperatures so perfect my skin felt like silk , a glow came across my body, and I had an epiphany-

My life was before me in different stages-

Early Childhood

Middle School

High School

College

Marriage

Child Birth

Death of Spouse

Starting Over

Finding My Dear Husband

Years of Sadness with Amber's Drug Use and Acting Out

Years of Amber Seeming To Be In Control

( even though I recognize now, she was always struggling )

Becoming a Grandmother

Extreme sadness at the once again loss of my daughter -

Death of my Daughter

And

Here

Time is beginning to be of the essence in my life.

There are not that many years left on this earth,with which to add many more categories-

I cannot take away the past-

I cannot change the choices made in the past-

I cannot make Amber come back and be a whole person --

Neither, can I deny the pain,--

BUT

I recognized this is a new stage in my life

and

with

each

passing

day

often

able

recognize

SOMETIMES

will

sad

and

Sometimes

will

happy

and

Sometimes

will

able

choose

which

and

other

times

will

not

able

choose

but

ALWAYS

not

just

SOMETIMES

will

be alright

REGARDLESS

Choices

for

TRULY

BELIEVE

there

bigger

Sometimes

and

Always

than

able

comprehend

this

earth

and

for

this

belief

ALWAYS

GRATEFUL!

Almost Wordless White Wednesday

2010-09-15T07:53:00.000-07:00

Farmhouse Sink From Ikea

I am posting this today for Alice W. She and her husband, Joshua, have just purchased their first home. She is such a talent. Her current post on her blog shares before pictures ( they are moving in this Saturday ) of their new house they will be turning into a home. You can visit her here http://alicew.typepad.com/thoughts_from_alice_w/ She mentions in this post she wants a farmhouse sink but she also mentions that thing we all know about - BuDgEt-

I found the very best deal on my farmhouse sink, when we were doing exactly what Alice and hubby are in the midst of doing, at Ikea. I have been very happy with it. The only draw back was there was not a hole for a water dispenser --- but for the price --- I am happily living with it ! :)

May your BuDgEt not keep you from doing anything you so desire today!

Wordless White Wednesday

2010-09-09T12:40:00.002-07:00

I Didn't Mean To

2010-09-07T15:38:00.000-07:00

I Didn't Mean To

Posting As Much

BUT

It seems, as the card says,

It is taking awhile---

BUT

Something Happy Just Happened

That Needs To Be Shared

My husband just came home from traveling to a golf course which is not close by.....

He stopped, along the way home, to cut me flowers, which he says are growing profusely along the road.....

I Just Had To

What I Was Doing----

To Share The Sweet Gesture !

Wordless White Wednesday

2010-09-01T07:26:00.000-07:00

I Am Doing Alright

2010-08-16T07:36:00.000-07:00

I apologize for being gone -
Am on the move right now -
Here - There - Here again -- Another There --
I am doing alright --
I am doing alright --
I am doing alright --
I am convincing myself --
I am doing alright ---- and it is Sorta Working ! Smile--
Hope YOU are doing alright too!

The Continuation

2010-08-04T22:15:00.001-07:00

No One Can----

Understand the pain of losing a child but that of another mother who has lost one. I just checked my email and had a comment from another mother, Pam, who lost her child to a swimming accident three years ago. Thank you for taking the time to post. I would have emailed you but I did not have your email address. I so appreciate your sharing with me --- I plan to purchase the book when we go back down to the valley. There is No Doubt about me understanding your comment --- It has been eight weeks since I have known and I think I am doing fine and out of nowhere ----- out of nowhere ----- it comes ----

The Best We Can Do----

Is understand our feelings and accept them --
And share with others --

Sometimes----
I am doing alright - or so I think -
I was going to continue soon when I left off a week ago -
But here I am -
A week later and I still would not be writing if it were not for the message from Pam ---
So many people to appreciate for caring enough to share --

I Did My Best ----

The policeman who was on the megaphone-
the one Amber kept calling Paul -
I think his words actually were -
I gave it my all -

I Don't Know What Else I Could Have Done---
When he said this, after saying I gave it my all --
Well, it was what I needed to hear --
for so many times it was our words, Randy's and Mine , about our dealings with Amber --
only ours spanned decades, not 45 minutes --
regardless, decades. years, months, hours, minutes --
giving your all is all that can be asked --

Let's Be Honest----

I was so glad we went to the inquest ---
BUT my husband warned me ---
even in going -- there would be things that would occur to us later that we wished we had asked -- things with which we would have to live --
He was right --
The last officer to testify was the one swat team member who was employed at the time of the shooting. He was not on the scene when Amber got out of the car --
There were 42 rounds fired. This last officer, the swat team member, fired one time. He also testified about a less lethal weapon.
This is the item that I wish we had heard about earlier ---
I want to know why all of the officers did not have this less lethal weapon in their possession --- for if they had, the weapon could have been used when Amber was outside of the car and approaching the officers --- the outcome would have been much different than the outcome of death --

Have You Ever Noticed ? ----

People say that questions are wanted but then when they are asked --
The only thing in the proceedings that upset me greatly was this--
The jury asked questions -- Randy and I both felt very good about this --
There were a couple of jurors who asked lots of questions. One of the questions asked was why couldn't they have used some kind of weapon, such as a rope with balls attached to the end of the rope, to throw around Amber's ankles, to bring her down, when she was out of the car.
Another question was why the cars were positioned so the vehicle Amber was driving could get through the opening --
After he asked this question, the Assistant Attorney General stood up, courtroom style, and said to the judge something to the affect, these questions were about police procedure, not if they had the right to shoot their weapons.
AAhhhh --- well, well, thank you Mr. Assistant D.A. for putting down a juror asking a question in regards to procedure. Maybe procedure should be in question, in order to prevent another inquest at a later time.

This Is Dedicated----

To everyone who treated us with the utmost respect --
To everyone who went out of their way to do everything possible to answer our questions --
To the reporters who did not pressure us but took our statement and let us be --
To each of you for willing to listen --

At The End Of The Day----

After being taken to the scene of the incident --
There is no way I can properly describe the scene to you --
Where was my camera--- at the hotel ---not with me --
Someone from the Coroner's office escorted us to the scene -- I can't say enough about how well we were treated by the Coroner's office and staff..

The scene was like a box canyon --
Rock walls , HIGH, were on both sides ---
The slope went upwards -- I did not walk up and look over the edge -- too steep in the shoes I was wearing and frankly, just did not think to do so -
Had we have done so though, I am sure there was a huge drop off --
There is no way the car could have been driven there though --
Why did she turn there ?
Why did the guard wave her through ? --The lanes were right beside each other -- We were shocked when we saw how close the lanes were to the guard gate -- How could he have mistaken anything she flashed for a pass?
How could the back door have been open on the house they went to?
How could there have been a party going on across the street letting out -- with a car in which there was key less start ? --- Which by the way, had the keys left in the car ---
The coincidences go on -- and the answers are not there, won't be there, and ultimately don't matter
FOR
the reason all of these coincidences happened is because she started using drugs again in the first place -- As a comment on one of the newspaper articles written said -- she was a walking zombie -- poor thing -- the lesson here is not to use METH -- this comment came from x-doc --
You couldn't have said it better, Doc.

After so much time --
Here I am--
Seeming to write much of the same thing--

I have had some pretty rough times --
I wish I had written more sooner --
I wish I had shared more before now but I have just been so
SPORADIC-
in all of my
Thoughts
Feelings
Actions
Goals
AND MY BEING

BUT
I know it is so important to tell others your thoughts and feelings...
It is so important when you go to bed at night to ...
Forgive yourself for the day's mistakes and to Celebrate the day's victories ...
And
to go to sleep ---
Wishing you happy dreams .... Especially tonight, YOU, PAM -