I own an island........

a brand new custom kitchen island. My sweet hubby built this great island with plans found on Ana White's blog. This lady is a genius. Ana shows you that you can build just about anything you can imagine, you just need the right tools, time, concentration, and of course a great plan. Check out her site for information the plan we've used + tons of plans.

Michaelas kitchen island plans

As you can see this plan allows you to adjust a little, add your own embellishments, and use your own creativity to make this a custom job

Love the simplicity of this plan........

 

 

Color: Valspar Grand Hotel Mackinac Blue 

Glazed with: Minwax Dark Walnut/Red Mahogany mix

Drawer Pulls: Hobby Lobby

Corbels: Lowes

 

 

Butcher block oak countertop:

IKEA 

 

 

Favorite burlap lined metal baskets

Garden Ridge Pottery

 

Labor of love by my sweet hubby

 

The final product is a great farmhouse inspired island that is

7 feet long-and less than $500.00

 

YOU CAN DO THIS:)

Sweet Baby Blue

My first experience with homemade chalk paint was a great success. I used the recipe provided by Anne Kimberley  . I used a tiffany blue along with a cream color paint that was to my sweet daughter Hannahs liking, I added the POP/hot water mixture to the paint, stirred well, and went to town on an old crusty piece. Prior to the paint I had sanded the top of the piece nice and smooth, so that I could stain and polyurethane it. But after the stain/ and glazing was completed on the piece I just used Minwax paste finishing wax, and look what we have here. 



  I'd love to name her like I do my cars, but I will refrain, and let Hannah name her when she gets home

paint happy

Some people have an aversion to painted furniture, however, I lOvE it!  And I personally believe that if you love a piece and it's yours, you can do whatever you want with it.  In 50 years when some little young gal pulls my little double decker caramel yellow table out of a pile in someones shed, I hope she'll do with it what ever she chooses to- knowing that I completely loved and enjoyed that piece of gorgeousness while she was mine.  Here are pieces I've done in the last few weeks,  and another is an old dresser that my sweet friend Jennifer had in her garage, ready to throw it out- it's one of my favorites now.   

If I can do this- ANYONE can do this..........................................................let me know what you think

Some of these pieces are painted using the new valspar sample paints that I decided to test out- the great thing is - you can do a pretty good sized piece of furniture with one $2.47 container of paint- Now that's a bargain. 

This picture  is my craft equivalent tribute to Pioneer Woman

Cast of Characters- Valspar paint sample, old trusty paint brush, mocha glaze

2 coats of paint on a lightly sanded old crusty table

Sand a few spots, glaze- and you are golden or 'dreamy caramel'

The scalloped edges and details on this table are what it's all about

My goodness little one, you are my sunshine



"ol crusty" saved from the curb spray painted baby blue with crystal knobs

She's a beaut!



Here another sweet little table I painted a celery green for my sweet daughter, once again I used a sample jar of paint (less than $3.00)Olympic paint I believe the color is called

Herb Cornucopia 6005-5C

She turned out lovely ( man somebody needs some photography lessons)

Here's another sweet little piece I found while in Eureka Springs- in a

sweet little second hand shoppe- it came with chippy paint attached for just

$23.00

And this is an old family desk, we've had in our family for about 40 years, it was damaged in a flood about 30 years ago, so my plan is to paint the base, change out the knobs, and repairing and staining the top.  I hope that this will turn out as I imagine it will.





I'm no respecter of paints, I'll use spray paint, milk paint, house paint, anything, as long as I love the finish.  So go ahead, don't be ashamed, or afraid to paint- it's yours, the antique police can't hurt you:) Just kidding, antique police, I love you too.

Special Occasion

Just wanted to share an email , and oldie but a goodie:

A friend of mine opened his wife's drawer and picked up

a silk paper-wrapped package:

"This isn't any ordinary package" he said

He unwrapped the box and stared at both the silk paper & the contents.

"She got this the first time we went to New York, 8 or 9 years ago.  She has never put it on, was saving it for a special occasion. Well, I guess this is it."

He got near the bed and placed the gift box next to the other clothing he was taking to the funeral home. His wife had passed away.

He turned to me and said:

"Never save something for a 'special occasion'.

Every day in your life is a special occasion."

I think those words changed my life.

Now, I read more and clean less

I sit on the porch without worrying about anything

I spend more time with my family, and less time at work

I no longer keep anything, I give it away

I use crystal glasses everyday

I'll wear new clothes to the supermarket, if I feel like it...

I don't save my special perfume for special occasions, I use it whenever I want.

The words 'someday' and 'one day' are no longer a part of my vocabulary.

If it's worth seeing, listening to or doing, I want to see, listen or do it NOW..

I don't know what my friend's wife would have done if she knew she wouldn't be there the next morning, nobody knows.

I think she might have called her relatives and closest friends.

She might call old friends to make peace over past quarrels.

She would have held hands with her true love, and told him how much

he means to her.

She would have hugged and kissed her children and grandchildren giving all of

them words of encouragement and advice for living

She would have asked her LORD to forgive her and give her wisdom to live her last

moments out full of grace

Each day, each hour, each moment is special

Live for today, for tomorrow is promised to no one

Burlap Stocking Fun

Today I'll do something I rarely do............Instead of yappin, I'll just show the easy peasy burlap stockings- The only sewing was the stocking itself- everything else was done with hot glue- YOU CAN DO THIS:)

Happy gluing:)

When the weather gets frightful, get out the glue gun

OK, I've started working on my staircase stockings, and I can tell this is gonna be a brain buster:)  Do you ever start a project, and as you go the creative juices really start flowing.  So your last part of the project is so much more spectacular than the beginning.  Well, I've started the first 2 of 10 stockings, here's my sneak peek.  My hubby asked me to make a few 'man stockings' along the way..... I'll share the entire holiday staircase, once I've finished. 
Have a wonderful week , we're expecting our first snow here tonight.  Seriously?? Aren't we living in Oklahoma, where we had 60s last week, and earthquakes a month ago.  OK, back to the subject at hand.  Have a blessed week my friends, and stay warm, dry, and shake free:)

I did it!

Like so many of you I have fallen hard and fast for Pinterest!  Back in the spring, one of my girlfriends said "I need to invite you to Pinterest, you'll love it", months went by and finally this past summer I got my invite.  Pre Pinterest, I had no idea what I was missing, Post Pinterest sign up I'm wondering where has this been all my life:)  You can create a magazine of sorts, and fill it with things you love, things you'd like to do, or just things that inspire you.  Well, I've always been a crafter, early on, in the '80s I was a sewer, a woodworker, a stenciler, a painter, and what I like to call a Welcome Friends duck girl:) Back then,  all we had were PBS specials that inspired us to craft, cook, and garden.  I thought I had it all.  Now, my Pinterest has replaced my cable tv craft show, and magazine addiction.  So, in essence, I'm paring down:)  Here is my latest Pinterest tackle, and I want to share it with you because it truly is one of the easiest things I've done in a while! For instructions on creating this beauty, just head over to Miss Mustard Seeds site for instructions:)  http://missmustardseed.com/2011/10/christmas-halloween/

Here's what I whipped up this past weekend-
Materials 1 old splotchy, ugly, paint covered, washed canvas drop cloth, 4 yards osnaberg fabric (my favorite go to fabric for a lineny look without the linen price) , lots of hot glue sticks, Perry Como Christmas music in the background....................................

Please excuse the wrinkly old lady fingers, I've had them since birth.
Measuring the entire time ensures a nice project.  I measured up 2 1/2".  My ruffles were 3" wide

I placed a dot about every 12" for my 2 1/2" measurement

Just glue and smoooodge your ruffles a few inches at a time

You'll want to throw in the towel at about row 4 or 5, but just hang in there

ahhhh, more wrinkles and ruffles

Keep goin Sus, you're almost done!

looks like a little petticoat, doesn't she

She just made the tree!

my grandbaby said this is the girl tree now, because she has a pretty skirt on, and this
wrinkly fingered Mimi must agree!