It's about time...I know....

Several of you have emailed me wanting to know why I have not posted (other than Not Me's) in awhile. Well, honestly, it hasn't been a priority. Things have been super busy with MOPS, hockey, Girl Scouts, living with babies, sick hubby, life, etc. I have been on this blog so many times and nothing has actually come to fruition. Mostly I just love reading the comments. I crave/need/covet your comments. I guess it helps to actually write something that people can comment on. Well, today is going to be a hodgepodge of stuff. I have several crafts that I have done, but never shared. ..........................

Now, if the phone will just stop ringing........

My first project was this cute step stool I found at Goodwill for $2. It was a really solid wood with no stains. It didn't necessarily need any work. I would love to know the story behind this as I am sure it is hand made. I filled in the holes with Spackle and painted the top part with white paint before I took this picture. My original plan was to make this a timeout chair for my son.

Tip: Don't use acrylic craft paint on a project like this, otherwise you will wind up doing this. :) Aren't you glad you can learn from my mistakes.

Let's try this again. I painted the entire step stool with several coats of bright white satin paint. I didn't want it super shiny, which is why I went with the satin. However, I did want to be able to wipe it down easily. Use whatever kind of paint works for you, just not acrylic (see above).Well, here's my final project. The lighting in my living room is not the greatest and, to be honest, if I had taken the time to edit the picture, it would have taken longer for me to get it up here. Notice it did not become a timeout chair. It was just too cute for me to make it a discipline tool. I think it will get much more use now. Matthew loves turning this step stool over, piling his toys inside it, and sliding it across my floors. It's a good thing I put a layer of sealant on it. I think I posted this picture before. I found this cute little lamp at Goodwill as well. Are you noticing a trend?I painted the lamp to match a beautiful painting I also found at Goodwill for $4. There is not a single thing wrong with this painting. By the way, I found the exact same painting at Target for nearly $40. I heart Goodwill. I wrapped the lamp shade with scrapbook paper that Haley chose. I painted the different sections of the lamp and then separated the colors of paint with glitter glue to add a little sparkle, which also matched the glitter in the painting.

This painting is perfect for Haley. The moment I saw it, I knew I had to have it. I loved the colors, shapes and collage of the whole piece. The price had me jumping up and down for joy.
We found a little wood piece at the Dollar Store that said "Dream". Haley painted it purple to match her room and we attached a little pink flower on it and placed it on top of her painting which now hangs over her bed.
We also painted this awesome shelf that my wonderful neighbor gave me. Haley painted it a bright pink and then we painted a softer color pink over it and wiped it down as we painted in sections. I love how the treatment came out. It looks so great up close but I couldn't get a good picture of it. I hot glued clothespins along the inside of the shelf and painted them the same colors that are in the painting. She uses these clips for her important memorabilia, including pictures, her baby hats, necklaces, tooth fairy pillow, etc. Also we put her name on the shelf and hot glued pink and purple bows to the letters. I also added her snow globe collection so they would be in a place out of her brothers little hands and in a place she could reach and enjoy. I love how this turned out and has really created a fantastic focal point. Haley cried when she saw the final product. That was all I needed. :)

As many of my friends and family knows, I have a very deep love for my country. My kitchen and dining room are done in a very tasteful Americana style. These two soldiers are on my largest wall in the back of my dining room. They are crosstich (?) that my maternal grandmother made over 50 years ago. My mother gave them to me. I stained the frames because I wanted them to match the dark wood in my kitchen, and because the frames have seen better days. I really wanted to do the vinyl letters on the wall in between the two pictures but couldn't justify the price. Instead, I picked up some chipboard letters from JoAnn's and chalked them a dark blue. It gave me somewhat of the effect I wanted, cost me less than $5, and is not permanent. What more could a girl ask for?

I hope you enjoyed all the pictures. If you want me to post more of this kind of stuff, let me know. I have several other projects that I have worked on and would love to share.

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My bloggy friend Alicia gave me my first award last week. It is the lemonade award for someone who shows great attitude/gratitude. I was so excited. Thank you Alicia. I am going to have to figure out who to pass this award onto. Go visit Alicia and cheer her on as she works hard at making herself healthier for her family.

Have a blessed day!


Giveaway coming soon!!!!