Best Projects of 2011

When I started seeing all the “Best Of” parties going around, I didn’t think I could join in because I didn’t remember doing anything “big” this year.   But looking back in my old files I did find a few things I accomplished in 2011.      Feel free to click on the project heading to read the entire post:

 

Sheet Music Wreath

 

Ho Ho Ho Burlap Pillow and Vintage Candles

 

 

 

Monogrammed Burlap Shade

 

“Fall” Banner

And here’s the mantel after I added a fall garland and lights

 

Stenciled Adirondack Chair

 

Starfish Bottle

 

Turquoise & White Pumpkins (this was a very popular post!)

 

 

Moss Covered Monogram

 

My First Slipcover

 

This was done before the sunroom got repainted….and yes, I know I’ve yet to post a reveal but I will be sure to do that soon!

 

DIY breadboard

 

As you can see, there were no biggie or earth shattering projects,  just a lot of little DIY stuff.   I guess the biggest “project” was the revamp of my sunroom which I LOVE!    I just realized I have never posted a reveal but I will do that soon.

And there you have another year in review.    I’ve been working on our bedroom off and on for sometime now and I have to say it’s coming together just like I hoped.    So I will try and get that finished up and post pics just as soon as I can.

Hubby’s gift to me this Christmas was agreeing to have our den repainted….I’m also working on him for a new sofa!    Plus I have a chair that will be recovered in an antique grain sack…just as soon as I decide how I’m going to treat the chair, either leaving as it or painting or distressing…..

I got the “crud” last week and couldn’t even leave the house on Christmas Day to go eat at the in-laws.    I finally got a prescription from the doctor today so I’m hoping it gets knocked out real soon.    We are supposed to go down to the gulf this Friday until next Tuesday….hubby’s made dinner reservations at a great restaurant for New Year’s Eve….gotta get well.

Here’s hoping you all have a safe and Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas

 

O Holy Night! The stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of the dear Saviour's birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining.
Till He appeared and the Spirit felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!
O night divine, the night when Christ was born;
O night, O Holy Night , O night divine!
O night, O Holy Night , O night divine!
Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
O'er the world a star is sweetly gleaming,
Now come the wisemen from out of the Orient land.
The King of kings lay thus lowly manger;
In all our trials born to be our friends.
He knows our need, our weakness is no stranger,
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!
Truly He taught us to love one another,
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains he shall break, for the slave is our brother.
And in his name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
With all our hearts we praise His holy name.
Christ is the Lord! Then ever, ever praise we,
His power and glory ever more proclaim!
His power and glory ever more proclaim!

 

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

Christmas Church

If you’ve been following my blog lately, you know I did very little Christmas decorating this year.    But while digging through a box full of stuff in my “storage room”  I found a little lighted church that belongs to my mom.    My son and DIL had given her this church one year for Christmas and she always kept it in her china cabinet.    When we moved her to assisted living 2 years ago, she wanted me to have it.     I really wanted to use it somehow so I put together  a little vignette in our bedroom.  

 

I sprinkled “snow” on a silver tray and put the church on a stack of covered paperback books.    I also added the little trees I got at Wal Mart.    (See the frame on the wall behind the vignette, I still haven’t got around to filling it with our personal pictures, can anyone out there relate?)

 

 

I got the book covers from Olive Rue’s etsy page here.   She has some wonderful downloads

 

 

 

I picked up this old timey Santa at Wal Mart the other day….in fact I got two!

Tomorrow I’ve got to finish up my shopping and wrapping.    We’ll be staying in on Christmas Eve, then visiting daughter and her family Christmas Day.    On the 26th we’ll head to Birmingham for Christmas with son and his family.

I don’t know if I’ll post again this week so if I don’t here’s wishing you and yours a very blessed holiday and Merry Christmas!

Christmas At The Lake

For the last several years, our family has celebrated our family Christmas on the Saturday before Christmas Day.    Nothing fancy, just good food and family time together.     Saturday was beautiful but chilly (chilly here in central Alabama means high 40’s!)  

 

Top of driveway looking toward the lake

 

Isn’t this view beautiful?

 

 

 

Bought these cute candy cane plates at Wal Mart for $1.00 for all the kids

 

My sweet youngest grandson (eating spaghetti)

 

One of sister’s grandsons

 

No, Santa didn’t come early, these are a few of the toys kept at the lake for the kids to play with!

 

Sister’s hubby gave her this arrangement last Christmas…doesn’t it look real?

 

 

 

My grandson and sister’s grandson learning to “share”

 

 

Sister had the kids make these reindeer bags as a craft…here’s my granddaughter McKinley (Cade’s sister) proudly showing hers off

 

And here’s Ms. Taylor (my other granddaughter) with hers….she sent it home with me since I didn’t get to make one for myself (LOL)!

 

We had a lot of fun but by 3:00 mama was ready to leave and go back to her assisted living home.    She has a hard time hearing and it’s pretty loud and confusing to her.      We are so fortunate to have her still with us enjoying all her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren….she’ll be 92 in June!

I have a couple more things to share this week (hopefully) and then it will be Christmas Day!   Hope your week goes well and you take time to enjoy family!

Pinecones, Wreaths and Pies, Oh My!

Corny title but it kept running through my head so I went with it!

Made another vintage paper wreath.    It was meant to be used on the mirror in the sunroom but I liked the way it looked in the den (actually it looked good over the mantel too!)

 

Also, last year I saw some beautifully dipped pinecones in a yummy color so I kept that idea in my inspiration file and yesterday I dipped my own!    Only problem is they are still kinda wet, hope they dry out before Christmas!   I made a whole bunch of them and plan to put them (along with some white sprayed ones) in my big dough bowl in the dining room.

 

(Color is Underseas by Sherwin Williams #6214)

 

And finally I made my first egg custard pie!   All you bakers out there probably can’t believe that I just admitted this.    I always loved the egg custard at Morrison’s Restaurant but I never tried making one.    The other night my son called and casually mentioned he wished someone would make him one.    So I searched the internet for a quick and easy egg custard pie and found a recipe.    I’ll post the recipe later.

 

We’re heading to the lake house today for our annual family Christmas party.    My sister and I decided we’d just do spaghetti, salad and garlic bread with all kinds of desserts.    

Happy Weekend!

Christmas Around The House

I shared on another post that I just wasn’t “feeling it” this year so I decided to scale waaaaay back with my holiday decorating.    I put a few things in the foyer and decorated my mantel and that’s about it.   I put some decorations outside but haven’t had a chance to take pictures of that yet.

My Christmas color palette has always been greens and reds and while I still love that color combination I decided to go more neutral this year.    I was so happy with the way it turned out that I plan on using a neutral color palette next year (unless I change my mind – LOL!)

 

 

That fireplace brick has GOT to get cleaned and get painted when the wall color changes.    I’ve had that goldish color for several  years and it’s not as gold as it looks, it’s really a nice color, but I’m tired of it and I hope to change it soon, along with cleaning and painting the brick fireplace

 

I got the little chair and Santa Claus pillow on our recent trip to Pine Mountain, GA when we stopped at a favorite flea market in Opelika.   I think the chair and pillow were $5.00 each!     At the Lodge & Spa where we stayed at Calloway Gardens, they had these wonderful birch logs for the fireplace.   I didn’t have any birch logs so I just spray painted some firewood white!    (My husband thinks I’m nuts!)    I just noticed the garland is a little crooked…that’s because it fell and hubby put it back up….so it’s not very symmetrical on each side!

 

 

 

I found the cute little turquoise frame at my favorite flea market last week and thought it would look pretty tucked in with all the creams and mercury glass.    I had already put the green and silver ornaments on the urn and didn’t remove them…I hope they don’t clash too much with the turquoise.    It doesn’t’ look bad at all in person.

 

Still loving my sheet music covered candles!

 

 

 

 

 

Now we’ll move to the foyer

This is a yard sale lamp I’ve had for several years.     I hung the glittered pine cone ornaments I got at Wal Mart for $2.00 each here and love the contrast between the linen colored shade and white pinecones

 

Picked up these books at the same flea market in Opelika…I put some of my white, clear and silver Christmas ornaments under a cloche set on a cake place

 

I forgot I had these sweet little deer so I was glad I found them in my Christmas stash.   I also printed off the Psalm 100 from the talented Jenn at Dear Lillie and put it in an existing frame

 

More glittered pinecones hanging on the foyer table

 

 

 

And finally the only thing I did in my den was put another printout from Dear Lille in a frame on a chest

 

 

 

 

More books from the flea market and a pair of antlers (still tied together with plastic ties!  Am I lazy or what)?

And there you have my Christmas decorations for 2011.   I can’t believe how little I did but I’m actually okay with it.    It’s so much work for such a little bit of time.   

I’m working on another vintage paper cone wreath for my sunroom.    I rolled some pages this morning before I went to work!    It’s addicting, I tell ya!