Top Five Posts for 2011

I love Christmas and can't believe it has come and gone again so quickly.

The next few days will be spent getting things back in order and cleaning up around here.

I wish you all a wonderful New Year filled with big dreams!

It's going to be a busy and great year for our family!

Here are five of my top viewed posts from 2011!

Thank you for stopping in and leaving comments, I have enjoyed my first year blogging and look forward to growing and learning many new things in the year to come.

You continue to inspire me and I appreciate you!

The trash to treasure chair I found on the side of the road..amazing what some paint can do!

My Pottery Barn Sign Knockoff was second...

My vintage linen pillows made from napkins I found for a steal

Fourth was this childs armoire that took many hours of sanding and stripping but Wow did she turn out to be a beauty! She has since moved on to a new home..

Lastly was the pantry makeover I finished in my last home.

I look forward to sharing some new projects, ideas and inspiration in the coming year,

Hope you will join me!

Happy New Year my friends!!


I have joined the party at:



Debbie-debbiedoos.blogspot.com

Merry Christmas

The gifts are wrapped

The food is ready 

The kids are home

From our family to yours

Merry Christmas!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all my new followers and for the sweet comments you have given over this past year. I look forward to this new year with much anticipation!

May you find peace and joy this Christmas as we reflect on our Savior's love and birth!

Birthday Girl

Today my beautiful daughter turns 21!

Wow time flies...

I can still remember the day many years ago they told me "its a girl" and placed her in my arms...

true love I tell ya!

What a blessing a daughter is

She is truly my friend and I love every minute I get to spend with her

Thank you Lord!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEET GIRL!

May all your dreams come true!!

I love you to the moon and back...and back again!

Moving Forward..a Graduation

There are moments in my life as a mom that stand out for me.

The day that all three of my kids were born

Their first accomplishments

starting school

graduating from school

and all the small moments in between.

I love this job and feel so blessed to have been able to stay home and watch my kids grow into the adults he wants them to become.

Yesterday my oldest reached one of her goals, she graduated from nursing school!!

I am one proud mama!!

There was an official "pinning" one night

and graduation a couple days later

I love you sweet girl and I am so thankful that God gave you a heart to care for those that need help!

You will be an excellent nurse because of your gentle and loving spirit.

Go get em!!

We celebrated with family over a yummy lunch and she received some beautiful gifts

The love of her life..

Every nurse needs a Littman Stethoscope (in pink of course)

This brought tears to my eyes, my brother and his wife had her name inscribed on it..

her new married name!

Her bestie!

Our new family..love them! His dad was our official photographer for both events

I appreciate them so much! 

(these are my photos btw)

I know thats a lot of pictures but I want to be able to look back on this day in this little ole blog and recall the joy and pride for her special day!

Next up...She turns 21 next week and we have a wedding in 5 months...

I'm not stressing...!!!

Have a beautiful weekend!

Creating a Cocoa Station

Sorry for the lack of posts lately, my projects have been put on hold lately due to graduation, birthdays and Christmas, etc. Blah, blah I know..

The greatest news in our house this week is that my baby girl is graduating from nursing school this week!

We could not be any more proud of her. She has worked hard this last year and her fruits are paying off this week. I hope to have some pictures to share soon. 

Well the cold nights and days have set in here in Texas (at least for now) and one of our favorite yummy drinks to stay warm is Hot Cocoa, well at least for the kids..I'm kinda partial to my Pumpkin Spice coffee. Anywho...

I thought it would be fun to make them a cocoa station!

I started with a silver tray I picked up with a friend out thrifting one day

love silver!!

I used some glass jars I had for marshmallows and cocoa

Some candy canes..

And we have a cocoa station..

The small silver footed bowl was also a recent find and we have a Keurig so the small pods work for a quick cocoa fix too

My mug is ready!

I hope you are staying warm and enjoying a cup of cocoa with your family while making some great memories. What a beautiful season with so many reasons to celebrate. 

Merry Christmas!!

A Grain Sack Stool

Is it just me or do the days just pass way to quickly?

I can't believe we are several days into December. The house is decorated and most of my shopping is done. How about you?

I found a cute little stool and some grain sack looking material at the antique store last week to recover it.

I doubled the material and stapled to the existing torn fabric. 

I used my blue painters tape and taped off lines to resemble the french grain sack look.

Remove the tape and your done!

I thought about painting the legs white but for now I love how it looks well loved!

It's amazing what a little paint and fabric can do to transform something!

Are you finished decorating yet, shopping done..?

Hope your Monday is a beautiful one..we're expecting lots of rain and cold weather, feels alot like Christmas.

I am partying with this girl this week..

A Little Christmas

Hey girls!

It seems like forever since I last posted. Busy, busy..

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving break. I enjoyed my kids being home and just relaxing. Did you do any shopping on Black Friday??  I was not about to hit those stores but I did get away with a sweet friend of mine and poke around in an old house that was about to be torn down and found some goodies. Now that is my kind of Black Friday shopping!! 

I love this time of year, don't you?

The lights, the colors, the music and most of all because we celebrate our Savior!! 

No better person to celebrate!

Have you decked your halls yet?

I started a few days ago and finally got the tree finished today..yay!

My buffet decorated with a small tree (Goodwill) and a address number found at the thrift store

The santa book was given to me by some sweet friends

My mantel all decked out with greenery, milk glass and candles all thrift store finds

Stockings from Target several years ago

A coffee table centerpiece

I love a pretty table!!

Finally..our tree!

Whew...this decorating thing is lots of work..but sooo worth it!

Have a beautiful day my friends.

I love hearing from you, is your home all decked out yet??

A Candleholder on the Cheap

Do you look for new uses for old things when in a Goodwill or thrift store?

I love to look for things that have good bones, lines or curves and look past what it was intended for. For instance this large bun foot was probably attached to a sofa, table or chair and was discarded because it was broken.

I painted it Heirloom White

Added a glass candle holder (also found at Goodwill)

 Attached it to the base with a heavy duty glue

Added some green filler, ribbon and a candle and voila!

A pretty candle holder on the cheap!

I hope your inspired to see the new life in an old forgotten object. 

Happy Weekend!!

A French Bread Board

How was your Tuesday?

It was a rainy one here..no complaints we sure need it.

I had plans to get out and work on a clients home but unloading goods in the rain, driving thirty minutes into town (in the rain) and wet clothes just didn't sound very appealing to me. 

My clients agreed and I postponed till tomorrow.

So what's a girl to do on a rainy day at home with just the radio and a cup of coffee...why paint something of course.

I had picked up this cute little bread board at the shop a couple of weeks ago

With the help of The Graphics Fairy and her great printables I went to work.

As you can see I wrote down a recipe on the back of this print..lets ignore that!

Using the pencil technique, scribble over your letters, then flip it over and trace over the letters.

The outline will appear on your surface.

Can you see it?

Next just paint or use a paint pen to fill in or trace

That's it!

I distressed mine with some sand paper and put a coat of wax over it to seal it

I love how just a little extra can make a big difference!

A little French touch in my kitchen!

What projects have you been up to lately?

Have a blessed Wednesday my friends!!

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DIYbyDesign Fall into Fall