Beauty and the Beast

Can feet be beautiful?    I guess that all depends on the eye of the beholder.    Here in the south we’re getting ready for sandal weather and that means pretty feet!    Call me weird, but I always notice how feet look in those pretty little sandals.      

For a while now, my kids and hubby have called my heels “crusty” .   I just call them “the beast”.     But recently I’ve discovered some amazing products that are taking my heels from crusty to smooth and pretty.

Here are two of the most wonderful products for cracked, crusty or otherwise unsightly heels.     I use the smoothing foot scrub in my bath at night and then follow up with the “heel of approval” cream at bedtime.    To insure the best results, I wear cotton socks.    Over the years, I’ve tried every product on the market, including a $40 Rx from my doctor, that didn’t do a thing!     Now these little wonder items can be bought at Bath and Body Works – two for $20!   I just started using them last Friday and there is a world of difference in my feet and heels already.    (By the way, Bath and Body Works did not pay me to endorse these products).

I’m off for a pedicure using my favorite color -  Cajun Shrimp.  (follow this link to read a hilarious story about Cajun Shrimp)!

Two Cute!

No, I didn’t make a typo….I mean two cute little munchkins!    Here are some random shots I took recently of the twins.   I’m also using the Windows Live Writer to post.     I think I’m going to enjoy this program!

Here’s my little angel in one of her new outfits for church.     She LOVES to dress up and pose…..check out the next picture!

Here’s Ms. Taylor in her softball uniform, and should I also mention she slept in it every night since she got it last week!    Shannon has to pry it off her in the morning and wash it when they get home.    And no, I didn’t tell her to pose like this, she just did it herself!   Shannon calls her “Erkle” cause she pulls her shorts and socks up real high!

  In this pose we were told to “pretend” she was holding her bat cause that’s how they posed her for the team picture.     (It’s real life here….doesn’t everyone have Wal Mart bags in full view with overflowing trash?)

Jackson is just like his daddy…..he strips down to his “big boy” underwear as soon as he gets home.   (I hope SIL doesn’t read that!)

 

Taylor always has to love on her Pop!   (He’s so wrapped!)

   I used a different photo effect on the next picture….I’m having fun playing around with Live Writer!

Here is the little man himself….it takes all of us to entertain him when he gets a “cut-cut”…..he hates to get his hair cut but they had school pictures the next day and Shannon didn’t want him looking like a shaggy dog.

The same night we were at Shannon’s, Taylor wanted to entertain us by saying the Pledge of Allegiance.     Here’s her version:

“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United Snakes of America…….”     Of course, when we told her States, not Snakes, she got all mad and ran off to her room pouting!     Such a drama queen……..

I’m going to attempt to make my office curtains this week.     Also, I’ve got some news on my dining room drapes so stay tuned…….

Foodie Friday

This is my first time participating in Foodie Friday hosted by Ms. Gollum. While my receipe is not creative or took lots of time to make, it's quick and best of all, GOOD!

Check out her blog for other Foodie Friday entries.

Hubby and I both love desserts with lots of fruit - we kid ourselves into thinking they're not very fattening! I found this Berry Cobbler at the commissary one day while shopping with my mom. Unfortunately, I have not found it in any local grocery stores but maybe you can. So, whenever I go to the commissary, I stock up on several of these - they go quick!

It couldn't be easier. Spray your casserole dish with Pam then put in the fruit filling.

Then take the cobbler mix and one egg. Mix that together until it's lumpy.

While you are mixing your cobbler mix and egg, microwave 3/4 stick butter (or oleo).

Top the berries with the cobbler mixture. You have to work at spreading it around a little bit cause it's so lumpy! Then pour the melted butter on top of that.

Bake the cobbler at 350 degrees for 30-45 min. (depending on your oven).

We always top ours off with either non-fat Cool Whip or vanilla ice cream. Either way, it's delish! (wish I had some now......)

For The Love of Toile!

Have you heard about the toile party going on over at the Pretty Organized Palace? I found out about this wonderful party (and blog) this morning and I couldn't wait to get home and post a few pictures from around my home where I've used this wonderful print. Head on over after you check out my pics and enjoy all the ways toile is being used in blogland!

First up is my guest room where I've used toile drapes, plates and pillows. You can't tell here, but the walls are a pretty gold color. This room was inspired by an episode of "Devine Design" where the devine Ms. Olson did a nursery by painting the walls gold and using lots of toile. I figured if it's good enough for Candice, it's good enough for me!

Now let's go to the nursery-turned-office. Here we have a little chair hubby rescued from the curb. Beautiful shape to it, just needed a little TLC, so that's exactly what I gave her. After cleaning it up, I painted it black (natch) then sanded it back and applied a gel stain. Then I recovered the seat in a cream and black toile fabric.

And here's the baby bed turned day bed where I made a little toile skirt and threw on some extra pillows I was using in the guest room. I have enough toile fabric left over that I'm going to try my hand at mistreating the window with some creme and black toile, solid black fabric and a little trim. I'll let you know how it turns out!

It's Time For Another Met Monday!

It's time for another Metamorphosis Monday and I've decided to join in the fun! Please go to Susan's blog and click on my name (I'm #10 on the list) to take a look at my dining room I just completed. Also, don't forget to look at all the other fabulous Met Monday blogs. Enjoy!

Say What?!?!?!?

Hubby's work vehicle is experiencing "mechanical problems" so last night after we ate with daughter and her family, we had to stop at an Auto Zone to pick up some parts. He called before we went by there to be sure they had the much needed part and they assured him they did. Got to Auto Zone, he was in there forever, came out WITHOUT the part and said we had 20 minutes to get across town to another Auto Zone that was holding the correct part!


I really needed to potty (I still say this like I'm talking to my kids) and was VERY WORRIED that I might not be able to "hold" it long enough to get across town. After arriving at the Auto Zone (and I might add this was in a not-too-safe part of town) I saw a McDonald's and figured I could go there after Auto Zone. Hubby runs in, then sticks his head out the door a few minutes later, and hollers "they've got a potty in here if you need to go!" OMG, I thought I would die! Everyone in the parking lot, plus all the people in the store, just laughed as I walked in but I couldn't help it....I had to go that bad!



Good grief!

Dining Room Revealed!

I thought I'd never get pictures of my dining room posted! I had jury duty ALL last week....can't believe I got picked, knew all the attorneys, knew the judge, been a legal secretary 20+ years, but I still got picked!

Enough of that...

I don't know if it's my monitor or what but I finally got some pictures that didn't look either (1) washed out or (2) too yellow-ish). The dining room is awash in soothing neutrals but for whatever reason, it doesn't translate too well in these pictures.

I painted the lower half of the wall, under the chair rail, Pearl White. Bought the pre-made picture molding at Lowe's cause I just didn't have enough confidence (not to mention time) to try and attempt to make them myself, so I guess you could say I cheated a little! The color above the chair rail is Antique White. There's just enough contrast between the two to see a little difference.

I had two mahogany ledges I got at Ross that I was going to put on the wall adjacent to my sideboard but when hubby saw what I wanted to do, he said he'd hit his head and knock stuff off them if I put them on that wall, plus I really don't think I had enough room. The ledges are 36" long and the wall I wanted to use really could not have worked with two ledges that long....so, next to the sideboard they went. Previously I had a couple of sconces on either side of my mirror and since they went so well with my furniture, I hung them under the ledges and put a little cup and saucer on them. Use what you got, right?

Okay, now, without further ado, here's the dining room! I have not put up drapes yet, just a roman shade. There are two chairs waiting for slipcovers, and we are installing crown molding, but other than that, I think I'm done. I just go in there and sit and look around, I'm so pleased with it. When my daughter came by the other day, she said she could not believe I had painted a room "white"! She knows how I love color, and maybe it's my "old age" but I have been gravitating toward more calming colors lately.

I'm still loving these Ballard slipcovers and seagrass rug we ordered last year

A closer look at the picture molding

I love how delicate this cup looks

With the exception of a few pieces of cremeware, all other pieces came from flea markets or Goodwill! The most expensive piece in here is the tureen you see on the dining room table, and I paid $40 for it.....more than I normally would consider but I believe it really sets the tone and is such a statement piece.

I have had some great suggestions on drapes, the best one coming from Joni at Cote de Texas, who suggested I use creme colored silk, 2-3 times the width of the window, heavily lined. However, I have not found anything like that thus far, and I really do not want to have them custom made. If any of you know where I might find some really pretty, ready-made drapes for this room, please let me know.

I think the laundry room is next on my list to get a little face-lift! Stay tuned.....

Gone With The Wind.......

Last Friday my mama and I took a little day trip to Lowndes County, Alabama where my grandparents settled after their retirement in the 1940's. Two of their sons were in the military in Montgomery so they moved a little further south to Lowndes County, Alabama.

Lowndes County is smack dab in the middle of the Black Belt. The most prominent community in Lowndes County is Lowndesboro, where I grew up and went to school for many years. There were some beautiful antebellum homes built in Lowndesboro back in its "hey day" and while many of the homes and churches still survive, sadly many of them have fallen into disrepair over the years.

The first home you see as you come around the bend in Lowndesboro is this stately home. Built in the Greek Revival style, it is what many people consider a true antebellum home. It underwent a significant restoration in the 1960's but now it appears the owners have not kept it in the style to which it had become accustomed.

You can almost picture Scarlett O'Hara running down the driveway holding up her hoopskirts

This is the Methodist parsonage

The local cemetery. Some of the earliest settlers in Lowndesboro are buried here

We counted more than 6 churches built along a less than 3 mile drive!

The dome on the church below once sat atop the first capital of Alabama located at Cahawba, Alabama. Cahawba is found near Selma, Alabama. Due to Cahawba being situated on the Alabama River, it was subject to flooding so eventually the capital was relocated to Montgomery. I wish I knew how this church acquired the original dome.

Marengo is a home that has been beautifully restored and maintained. It is now used to host special events but when I was in school, the children of the family that lived there went to school with me. As a matter of fact, I had a crush on one of the sons and remember being invited to Marengo!

Looking down the driveway leading to Marengo

The original home was dismantled and brought over on the Alabama River to its current location

This is a new home built to look old

This aging beauty belonged to a doctor and his decendants still live there. It appears that it, too, has seen better days

Front entrance to the above home

Now we'll leave Lowndesboro and head down the road a piece (as we say here in the south) to where my grandparents lived.

As you can see from the sign on the church, the original structure was built in 1840 and burned on March 18, 1967. This was at the height of the civil rights movement. During that time, many churches were burned. I distinctly remember the night this church burned. It seemed our whole community stood by helplessly as it was completely destroyed.

Here is the church as it appears today


Just a stone's throw from the Presbyterian church was the home of my grandparents. My grandmother passed away in 1969 but my grandfather and bachelor uncle stayed on at the homeplace until approximately 1971 when they moved back to North Carolina. When the place was sold, the new owners changed many things about the home, both inside and out. My grandmother spent many hours, and many years, making the grounds a showplace. Sadly, all of her hard work is no longer evident. This roofline is basically the only thing left of the time my grandparents lived here. I spent many hours on the front porch, rocking, shelling peas, and taking naps on the metal glider that was outfitted with soft cushions!

The home as it appears today. My grandmother had a beautiful pathway lined with "thrift", and the grounds were wonderfully landscaped. There was a large tree in the yard where my uncle hung a wooden swing. All the grandchildren loved to swing on that old wooden swing!

This white fence was not part of the original yard but has been installed by the present owners

My uncle planted this tree over 50 years ago.

I had an encounter with a rattlesnake right at the base of this old tree! Luckily for me, my dog saw it and started growling and barking and when I saw that snake, I ran for my life!!!

My mama and daddy got married standing right here in front of the fireplace in the formal dining room on January 11, 1946. Walls have been torn down to combine two rooms so it really looks nothing like it did when my grandparents lived here. Here's mama posing at the same spot she stood in all those years ago (no big screen tv's then either).

I hope you enjoyed this little trip with me and enjoyed seeing My South!