I'm STILL warm!!! :o)

Hello from a still-sunny Florida!!! :o)

I've been having a blast! We've been picking oranges... Watched THE movie, "Facing the Giants..." And even went to the beach today where I got FRIED!!! I'm so red!!! :o) Check out the pictures to see ME doing what I've been doing!!!

There's nothing like Florida oranges picked right from the tree! They are so very juicy... YUM!

This was at the beach... Pre- Sunburn!! :o)

BRRR! It sure is cold when you first get in!

We even found a few sand dollars... not a lot though. The waves were really big, so it was hard to see the bottom most of the time. It made for some fun wading/swimming though!

What fun!

Like I said... It's a blast down here!

So... I'm thinkin' I'll go rest my poor, bright red self for the night! ;o)

Good Night!

I'm staying WARM!

Hey there!
Guess where I am?!?!

FLORIDA!!! :o)

It's beautiful here! Very warm in comparison to the very cold Nebraska that I left on just Thursday! In fact, I got word that our own church in Omaha was cancelled due to snow and ice! Brrr....

That's Me... And Mom!

My flight was scary... Not that anything happened... I just like flying with someone else! Then I don't need to worry about gates, times and missing flights! I just follow! :o) But I did manage to make all my flights! (Although the connection in Memphis was close! Yikes!

And that's me... And Caleb!!!

Life in Florida since then has been a blast though! I'll post later on what all I've done!

In the meantime... Stay warm!!! :o)

Another one done!

Hey!
Did ya'll want to see the "3-drawer-adorable-piece-of-furniture-that-we-got-from-my-new-favorite-salvage-yard?" It's done too! Sadly, it doesn't quite fit where we wanted it to. *Sigh* On the other hand, that might not be too bad as I have first dibbs on it if mom doesn't want it! :o) (Although for some strange reason, Caleb keeps trying to weasel her out of it! What would he want with it?!) The problem is... I don't know where
I'd put it until I moved out. *Sigh* Oh, for a place of my own!!! Anyway... Here it is!

I added the bead board on the sides... They had a hole or two... I think it was part of a desk and electrical something-or-another ran through it... But I'm not sure. Whatever the case... It's adorable now!

I crackled the drawers... they came out really nice. I love crackle painting! My favorite technique! (I get the crackle stuff from Menard's just in case you're wondering! It's in the paint section.)

Not a bad buy for 12.50, eh???

So yeah! Lovin' my camera!

Will post more pics. again soon!!!

Long Awaited Pictures...

GUESS WHAT?!?
Thanks to a terrific friend... Our camera is back! :o) YAY!!!
So here's just a few "long-promised" pictures! I'll post more as I get time!

This is that corner before I ripped it apart! :o)

See? This whole wall looked kind of scrunched... (Besides all the clutter that seemed to gather on the table!)

Taa-daa! Isn't she cute?!

It's not done yet... Still have to put in the counter, shelf, and the light up top. But it is very nearly done!

See how much less cluttered it is now?

(Okay... okay... Besides my tools scattered all over!!!)

Isn't it exciting?!?!? I LOVE IT!!!

Meet my family!

Okay here...

Going through pictures... Would you like to meet my family?

Here goes!

This is Dad... I'll not post his age... But he's the oldest... :o) lol

In a lot of ways, he and I are a lot alike!

We are early birds by nature... We like to keep on a task until it's finished... And we aren't terribly flexible when plans change! ;o)

This is Mom... I'll not post her age either... But she's the 2nd oldest... :o)
We are complete opposites! :o) So we make a great team!

"We complete each other!" ***In my best Sid-From-ICE-AGE- voice***

She's a lot of fun to be around... She keeps everyone on their toes...

And she's "Chronically Late..." 15 minutes everywhere we go each time!!!

This is Micah... We're 14 months apart in age. He's 19 years old now.

We too, are opposites! (He & Mom are a lot alike... And Dad & I are a lot alike...)

He's another fun one! He loves making us all laugh... (Even if he's not funny! :o) lol) And he always has us guessing!

This is Caleb... He's our "prayer baby!" I prayed for him every day for over 5 years before he came along! He's 9 years old.

I'm not sure who's personality he tends towards... He's kind of in the middle, perhaps tending a bit more towards Mom.

He's a very strong leader (Even as a 9 year old)... He has a dream of owning his own farm and doing it all by horse ("horse-drawn" plow, ect...) someday... And he has an unbounded amount of energy!!! :o)

So now you've met them! My family!

So how's my To-Do list coming??? Let's take a look! (I'll bold the stuff that I have done!)

*Sand the edges of the chair

*Put sealer on the table, windows, chair, and drawers

*Finish putting up wainscoting

*Prime wainscoting

*Paint another coat of navy on wainscoting trim

*Paint 1-2 coats of white on wainscoting

*Paint Burgundy on wainscoting and wipe off. (So the Burgundy will only stay in the grooves) Note: We changed our minds... We're doing navy

*Put trim above wainscoting

*Put trim in corner cabinet

*Install light above corner cabinet

*Hang doors on all cabinets that I took off to paint

So yeah!!! I'm getting closer!!!

YAY!

Last Fall...

Did you know that I was a bridesmaid last fall? My first time... and it was just too fun! I loved it!



I had the privilege of making the Unity candle! I've done pressed flowers since I was 12... But this was my favorite project yet!




Here are some others that I've done in the past! ;o)

Just another of my favorite things to do!!!

Pictures, where art thou?

Hello!
I'm back!!!

I've decided.... I'm tired of not posting pictures!!!
I can't take it any more!!! I need to post some pictures!
So... until I get my camera again, I'm going to start posting past projects... and mostly just stuff that hasn't much to do with anything here! :o)

Here are some sunrise/sunset pictures that I've taken. Beautiful aren't they? They were all taken at "the house down south" where we used to live. The Miles Ranch. :o)








This one is my favorite! I love the dimension that it has! Okay.. okay... I know I can't fool you! I don't know anything about photography!!! :o) lol I just like how you've got the tree leaves up close... the sunset... and the windmill in the distance. I can close my eyes and feel myself back there.
Warm summer evening... Still and quiet... Not a sound except for the occasional songbirds last call of the night... A slight, gentle breeze blowing up from the cornfield below... *Ahhhh*

This one was gorgeous!!! I wish you could've seen it in real life! It was breathtaking!!! Pictures just can't do justice to what it really looked like!

I like the "more colorful ones" better, but this one is pretty too!

Sometimes we'd get sunsets with the most VIVID colors! Again... One of those that you have to see "in person!" A camera could never seem to do them justice! It was a BREATHTAKING sunset that evening! They were just too incredible to get on a picture!

Wouldn't they make pretty desktop wallpaper?

This was the normal sunset. Here, we don't really get to see the sunrises or the sunsets. We live in kind of a valley. But never have I ever lived anywhere that had such a magnificent view of the sunset every evening than when we were down there! I do miss that!

Anyway... Progress in the kitchen? Yeah! ALL the wainscoting is up! YAY! It's sanded and has 2 coats of primer, baby! Just need a coat of cream... A coat of Burgundy and then wiped off... Trim put on the top... a couple coats of sealer on all of it and... ***Drumroll please*** I'll be done with it!!! YAY!!!
Can you tell I'm EXCITED?!?!? :o) lol

Anyway... I'll be back soon posting pictures of stuff that has nothing to do with anything!!! :o)

A Lesson In Line...

I read the sweetest post today...

A Lesson In Line
Her name was Shelby.
She works at the market where I buy my groceries. Yesterday while waiting in line to purchase my groceries I learned a lesson in compassion and the importance of kindness.
Shelby couldn't have been more than sixteen years old, slight in build and shy in nature. Shelby was having a bad day. I mean a really, really bad day. The line was long, and to go along with that long line were some very bad tempers. I watched with sadness as the people in front of me seemed to take out every
frustration they had ever had in life out on poor Shelby. Shelby was trying her very best but even her best was not good enough for these people. Criticisms were muttered under their breath as well as much sighing and eye rolling. One lady kept changing her mind, paper, no plastic, no plastic, no paper, can't you move faster, what's wrong with you, I hate this store, . . . . ..don't squish my tomatoes, watch out for my eggs . .. . and then the unthinkable happened. Poor Shelby got so flustered that she dropped the entire carton of eggs right there on the floor. As she looked down at the shattered mess I couldn't help but think that she was feeling right then just liked that ruined carton of eggs looked. I saw tears well up in her eyes as she surveyed the damage and I wanted to run over to her and scoop her up and hold her in my arms as if she were my baby.
Shelby was beaten down. She was beaten down by unkind words and unkind actions. As it came time for me to be rung up, Shelby looked at me with a timid face all the while preparing for the next assault. I looked her straight in the eye and said, "Shelby, I am so sorry that you are having such a bad day." She looked at me as if she didn't know how to respond. I think she was wondering where I was coming from and what did I mean by that. I then proceeded to tell her that I thought she was doing a great job. Her whole face relaxed into this big, beautiful smile and I literally saw a flood of relief come over her. I told her that I wanted to go buy her a soda or a cup of coffee and bring it back to her. At first she said, "excuse me?" I repeated myself and then she politely said, "no thank you." I then proceeded to tell her about my first day on the job of a local fast food restaurant and some of the mishaps I had been through. I even managed to get her to laugh a little! As I was leaving I told her that she was going to be fine, just take her time and do her best. That's all anyone can do.
As I was leaving I heard the gentleman that was behind me in line say, "Shelby, you are doing great, don't you worry." A smile then crossed MY face because of the goodness and kindness of others. I realized that it takes the same amount of time and energy to be kind as it does to be unkind. I saw first hand that words DO hurt. I also saw first hand how easy it is to "shatter" the self-esteem of another human being. I saw that we can choose to show compassion just as easy as we can choose to show intolerance. I realized that can choose to be patient or we can be impatient. The bottom line is that it is up to us. We
can either "tear down" or "build up." We can either spread darkness or spread light. There are many other Shelbys out there in this world. When we encounter one it will be up to us how we choose to respond. I know I will choose to respond with love!

What a great challenge for me to invest in the lives of those around me! :o)


What did I do today? Well... I've been gone a lot lately so it was mostly catch-up! Cleaning... Emailing... The usual! So I didn't get a whole lot accomplished on my projects other than a couple coats of paint on the new drawers, cupboards and stuff. Just need to:

*Sand the edges of the chair... ( I painted it navy, then white. I'm going to sand the edges to give it a worn look so the navy will show through.)

*Put sealer on the table, windows, chair, and drawers.

Then I should be almost done on painting all the stuff in the dining room! YAY! We can have our dining room back! All the stuff looks terrific though! I do love crackle painting! :o)


Tomorrow To-Do List: (After more "catch-up!")
*Sand the edges of the chair
*Put sealer on the table, windows, chair, and drawers
*Finish putting up wainscoting
*Prime wainscoting
*Paint another coat of navy on wainscoting trim
*Paint 1-2 coats of white on wainscoting
*Paint Burgundy on wainscoting and wipe off. (So the Burgundy will only stay in the grooves)
*Seal wainscoting
*Put trim above wainscoting
*Put trim in corner cabinet
*Install light above corner cabinet
*Hang doors on all cabinets that I took off to paint


Okay, okay.... So, chances are I won't get all that done... But it's on the to-do list anyway! ;o) Nothing like setting your goals high, eh?!?

If you could build a house, what kind would you build?

I was on my message board tonight and one of the threads was exactly that. So I got to thinking.... Hmmm... What kind of house would I build?



To start out, I wouldn't want to build a house. I like old houses. I really do! So let's just paraphrase that question...

"What is your dream house?"



*Sigh* Ahhh yes... My dream house...

An adorable, blue cape cod with a wrap-around porch in the country. Kind of like these...


Cute, aren't they?!?

Porch swing to sit on in the evenings... Red geraniums and ivy in hanging pots... A wind chime tinkling in the warm breeze... An old red barn and a few out-buildings for my "treasures..."

Inside I'd have high ceilings... Nothing formal... All country/cottage decorated... Grapevine wreaths... Barnboard... Wicker baskets... Warm yummy, bakery candles... (Master's Hand Candles, of course! :o) lol) Quilts... And of course my bottles!!!

An entryway...
A cozy living room...
A big, open kitchen/dining room...
Several bedrooms... (Depending on how many kids came along! *grin*)
2 bathrooms... (Less than that and someone always banging on the door just as soon as you get in the shower... Any more than that and there's too many to clean. 2 toilets to scrub is enough!!! lol)
A mud-room/laundry room that all those kids can come into after they've been out having mud-fights. (Those were the best!!! Micah and I had the greatest mud-fights! lol)


*Sigh* Yeah... Sounds lovely! My dream house!
But you know... You can make any home lovely inside like that. All it needs is a paint... Hard work... And a little creativity! ;o)




What have I been up to? I was gone this weekend, so not much got done on my "project." But I did get about 2/3 of the wainscoting up today. YAY! I really think this is going to be very nice when it's done! It'll really tie the room together! I'm so excited!!!


We went to an auction on Saturday! FUN, FUN! I love auctions! We got a bunch of tables and stuff. Mostly for tools and candles. That'll be nice to get more organized!!! Organized is good! Also got some new "projects." An adorable old trunk... 2 ancient-but-lovely porch pillars... a small table that is "crackle-worthy..." LOTS of shelving that we tore apart for the wood... (Hey! All those for 1.00! Can't beat that at Menard's!!! There's a lot of lumber in those shelves!) Yeah... It was fun, fun, fun!!! Now I'm in the mood to go to another! I need to stop though! I've got to finish my current projects first!!! :o) lol


Speaking of which... I should go see if that primer is dry!



*Sigh* I can't think of any cute quips to finish my post off with...
Awww well... I'll just be back soon! ;o)

Why I like doing what I do...

Top 5 reasons why I like doing what I do:

1. It keeps me happily and safely occupied... Off the the streets and it prevents me from embarking on a life of crime.

2. I get a thrill... Almost a "high" from rescuing poor, dirty, lonely and otherwise rejected "treasures."

3. If it weren't for thrift stores (And Christopher & Banks) I would have no clothes at all. Besides that, when someone at church says, "What an adorable sweater! Where did you get it?!" I can sweetly smile and say, "Goodwill... 99 cents." Gets 'em every time! (Most of them are goodwill shoppers too!)

4. Otherwise, I would be sitting on the floor as I wrote this. (Thrift store chair!)

5. Lastly... I can fill my bottle addiction 100% guilt-free! It's .99! So what if I already have a room full... It's only .99! I confess... I love bottles. My one true weakness. *Sigh* Short ones... Tall ones... Fat ones... Skinny ones... Big ones... Small ones... You get the picture! :o) As long as they're that slightly green/bluish tinted color, I'm in love. My future husband won't have to bring me chocolates or flowers... (Although I do love flowers) A bottle will keep me very happy! :o)

Anyway... Those were just some random thoughts that came after mom asked me that question...

Why do you like doing what you do???