Happy Anniversary!!!!!

Today is my parents 60th wedding anniversary and in honor of them we received a fresh snowfall so Mom and Dad, this is for you!

A little snow blessing from Heaven ...love you both!

Comfort

This the power of the Cross
Christ became sin for us
Took the blame
Bore to wrath
We stand forgiven at the cross
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nwzt9jRUPNg

Decisions , Decisions....

Now that the back porch is almost decorated I have to return to the kitchen. Again, we are making small changes to update the kitchen at this time with homes that eventually we will remodel and put in new cabinets. Last week I posted pictures of my dh taking down the plate rail and most of you agreed that it was a major improvement. So I am moving on the door handles. The one on the left, the black one is what is on all the cabinets right now. I put them on about 1 1/2 years ago. I am thinking about changing them to the one on the right..a brushed nickel handle. So which do you like??? So far I have only purchased just this one until I decide. And don't worry about the black handles, if I do change they will go into one of our rental properties.
 I also had dh run some electricity about the cabinets so I could put a small light on top...this is what it looks like right now...just a small night-light bulb that I leave on all the time.

I love the design on the ceiling and it just adds a homey touch. It is white as are most of the decorations that are going into our kitchen.
 I also decided to put away all the spices and add a little whimsy...

So there you have it, not much excitement but a little fun. So I am off to church and then resting...well..after a 2 mile walk...resting..before the next thing. Be blessed.

The redecorating has started!!

Finally, at day three I am done....this is what I have come up with so far! I did not realize I had so many crocks and most of them were already on the porch so with a little reorganizing I think I like it.

This is where I started. Everything was Americana with black. It was a fun theme but the flag was across my kitchen windows and it did make my kitchen dark.

Again, this is how it is decorated today..very simple but I hope it looks welcoming since this is the enclosed porch that everyone steps into when they come to our home...unless you go to the front door.

This has been decorated since the spring of 2009 (I looked at my blog)..and I was ready to lighten up!

As of this morning, I am going to use it like a bakers rack. The silver you see is going to go all the way to the top shelf and it will be the back for the cabinet!! The "food" are candles!

Looks like a big change!

Paint, Paint and More Paint!!!!

Let me first say...I hate painting. It is not hard, it doesn't take much time, it makes a big impact...but I hate to paint. So what have I been doing the last two days...painting of course!

This is the first coat. And this is where we started...black. I really loved the black but I am so ready for something different and fresh and bright. It has been a long winter and it is only paint...I can always repaint if I don't like it! Right?

After another coat of paint and some walnut stain...this is where I am at right now in the project. This was taken this morning. My wrist is sore from holding a paint brush for two days but it is worth it.
Here is another piece..

This is after the second coat of paint. I then got an idea to spice things up a little so when I was at Lowes I bought this

Since you have to have the first coat in satin paint (which I did) I thought I would give it a try. So I purchased more paint and got started. I read the pamphlet and it said to give it an even coat but the guy at Lowes said to give it an light coat so I went with that, waited two hours and put the paint on.  Well, I had wished I had put on a heavier coat because not much happened and I forgot to take a picture of this step...But another thing was that my white paint turned pink. I am assuming it was the red from the black paint...I don't know but I didn't like it so...I broke out the walnut stain and this is what I have now.

The drawers are open because it is still damp but I guess you get the picture...the paint is called sprinkles from Valspar.
 I do have a little more painting to do...I am spray painting a chandelier and I need to paint two candle sticks but for now I need to get my walk in, carry out the trash, I have a meeting at 11am and I need to pick up some rubbermaids to put my prims away....hope you are enjoying this little glimpse...more is to come!

Small change...big impact!

Saturday, when my dh got home from work I somehow convinced him to take off the spindles on top of our cabinets. Well, his 5 minutes of work made a huge impact on my kitchen. The 80's are gone...hurray. Of course being conservative, he saved all the pieced just incase we want to put them back up someday....not!!!!

Again, this is what they have been since we moved here. I am not sure why I did not think to remove them until now.

Well, there you have it. I know there isn't much to share but I am just getting started but I can only work in short periods of  time because there is just so much going on. So far now, that it is...enjoy your
Sunday.

A few more changes!

Finally a  make-over that I love!! While I was painting those stubborn candle sticks I gave this frame a quick coat too. I had this frame in the basement and knew I had saved it for some reason. I glued some paper, the keys and the little glitz and the whole thing only cost $3.99. Now that is more like it.
 It is spring and I was feeling a change coming on so after lunch I cracked open a can of paint and painted my red accent wall a color called white clay...I was ready for the red to go.

Sorry that it is a Christmas picture but that is the only one I could find of the red wall...and now..

This is the new color...on the right where you can see the red shelf..that is where the keys are hanging now.
I am removing all the red and primitive decorations and starting over....It only took about 3 hours to paint and trim this wall. I know you can't see much of it but I will share more as I decorate.
 Spring just seems like the right time to do some painting...so for today I have closed up the paint can and put away the crocks...took down the curtains and I am enjoying the new color....more later. Be blessed.

More Bits of the Make over...going slow..

I found a few minutes to work on some accessories for my bathroom but boy did I make a mess. It started with these.

  So this is what started the mess. I found these candle holders at Hobby Lobby on clearance. I didnt' care the brown so I decided to paint them white.

It says $39.99 but I got it for $8.00 so I figured I could put some paint on it and that would be that...well kinda.
 Since I had the paint out I thought I might as well paint a few picture frames too...and then I ran out of paint. So off to walmart to get some and I found some stain...well why not give them a little stain too??

That will never do...oh my...so more white paint...

Then I put some paint on some pictures frames and  mirror...and stain and more paint until  it just became a job. Now I really had no intentions of even working on all this today so how did it all get started. Well, it started with those two candle holders I found on clearance. Should have left them on the shelf. I will have to take a few more pictures so you can see how they ended up. Where did the day go to???

Another Bathroom Make-over Begins!

This is the beginning of my second bathroom make-over. This is our upstairs bathroom and as you can see the walls are chocolate brown with a little wallpaper that has a small stripe of blue. I thought seriously about taking down the wallpaper (and eventually I will) but with two graduations parties coming I decided to just make some easy changes for now.
  This is the before picture.

My middle daughter asked me, so sweetly, to take down the quilt. she was tired of it and maybe I was too. You can see the handles on the cabinet, well, I switched them out too but forgot to take a picture. I will take that picture and more as it progresses. I am leaving the basket but the light fixtures were left by the previous owners and they are going too!
 Well, I am off to work but I will post more pictures this weekend and I will post a picture of the give-away items too. Blessings. BTW Farm Chick is having a Farm Photo Friday.. stop by.http://farmchickskitchen.blogspot.com/

Living With a Purpose!!!

Hello Dear Friends,
  Things here have been so crazy but I am making a choice to live life with a purpose. Sometimes when all the stuff gets in the way you just let it carry you along. I am waiting until my parents get back from Florida. My Mother is still not well but no diagnosis as of today. She sees yet a 4th doctor on Monday.
 I have been feverishly making lists of what needs done before the graduation party in June. Today I was picking out paint chips for the kitchen and next week I am going to check out the counter tops too. The craziness just keeps going on...BUT..
  I am choosing to try to enjoy each day for all the little things that go right. I am taking a little class at the church on the Seven Pillars of Health...which has been quite interesting. My dh and I are taking a class on Sunday evenings and I have (not) enjoyed it so much but I have enjoyed the other couples we have met...they are so sweet.
 Some of the most wonderful things that are happening..well..I have finally started to walk outside again, after such a cold, snowy winter. I am enjoying my job and the friends I have met there! I am spending a few evenings with my dd who is home from college. I am starting to get a new inspiration for my living room..new colors...new decorations...for later on this summer.
  I have decided that instead of being stressed I will try to just roll with it and find the good...look for the good...find something interesting...accept what I can't change.
 Yes,  there are make overs coming. I am just finishing another bathroom. I have some changes coming for the back porch...and the kitchen. And I have been working on a makeover of myself...more on that later.
  But most of all I am trying to live each day and making the most of it. I started cleaning closets and drawers but not in a panic but in an enjoyable and organized way...yes...I am having fun...fun getting rid of so many unwanted, unneeded objects and it feels so good....and yesterday I organized my dh closet and even got him to try on a few things...yep..
   I am trying something new and it feel different. It feels fresh, it feels right. There is so much more..but for today..well..no pictures...just random thoughts...but I am happy you are here.
   And..a give away is coming soon!!!

A Touch of Spring and Ramblings!

 Well, since that last snow storm I have decided that enough is enough!!! A little spring is finally showing, well, inside anyways. You probably remember my little wool eggs from last year but I am still enjoying them. They were easy to make and helped use up so many of my scraps!

 My one and only little rabbit is back but I think it will probably find a new home in a different spot when I get out a few tulips.

I so adore this pillow. Do you remember it? It was my glam pillow for the holidays but I just can not put it away so now it is my glam pillow everyday. Sometimes when the sun hits it just right it glimmers and really it makes me smile. I sit there with my stitching, sometimes, and I am content. Now that sounds stupid but really it is true. How does a pillow make me so happy??? I don't know but with 26 inches of snow in February you have to find something to help you be content and for me, this year, it is a glam pillow.
 We have had such terrible flooding this week but I am happy to report that the little store where I work made it through the flood without any damage. I am thrilled.
 It has been so sunny here that I have been going out each day for a two mile walk...oh how nice it is to finally get some fresh air without freezing. I had to wear a hoodie and a coat and gloves but I was good for the warm-up and then too warm once I started to power walk but again, I am happy to be outside!
 I am thinking about having a give-away since I now have 104 followers! Thank you for joining me!! I am blessed.