Headboard Headway

We F-I-N-A-L-L-Y got the headboard cut out!     Today we hubby added a piece to the back which bulked up the arch so the nail head trim would have something thick enough to nail into….does that make sense?   If I showed you pics of the progress it would make even less sense (LOL)!   But he knows what he’s doing and I’m just rolling with it!    We have to secure the “legs” to the back and then I can add the foam and finally the drop cloth and nail heads and the room will be DONE!     Well, done except for hanging pictures, etc.

Here is the shape we cut out.   During the final reveal I’ll tell the unusual item we used as a pattern for the headboard….it isn’t exactly identical on each side but once I add the fabric you won’t be able to tell.

 

 

 

In these photos it’s simply propped up on the top mattress so it’s a little higher than it will be once it’s finished.     But you can get a general idea of how it will look….of course, this is the raw wood stage.   (That shadow you see is the chandy…how distracting)!

The Heart of a Child

I wanted to share something that makes my heart full to overflowing about my granddaughter Taylor.    Recently her 3rd grade class was being taught about money and writing checks.    Let me tell a little background story first….

My daughter has a good friend who has four little boys!   The 2nd son was born with some medical issues which has necessitated him to be treated at a children’s hospital on a fairly regular basis.     Just recently he had a little incident which meant another trip to Children’s Hospital.     Daughter was telling Taylor a little about it….not to scare her but so they could include the little boy in their prayers.    

When it came Taylor’s time to write her “check” in class, she made it out for $900.40 (we don’t know what the .40 cents is for or the odd amount of $900) but she made it out to “Childred Hospital” and on the “for” line put her little friend’s name.

 

My daughter was telling the little boy’s mother about this and the mom told my daughter she could hardly respond because she was crying.   The mom also said her husband was not an emotional man, never even cried when their children were born, but when he saw this he cried like a baby.   

Taylor says she wants to be a nurse (or professional softball player!) and I think she certainly has a heart for helping people.  

On a very different note, I don’t have any of my fall decorating to share like I wanted to because we recently rented out my mom’s house and it’s been one thing after another wrong with the house!    Today we had to have one bathroom completely gutted and the tile man can’t start until next week, then we found out the 22 year old air conditioning/heating system is on its last leg and will most likely have to be replaced too….Cha-Ching!     I’m trying to stay on the positive side by thinking this will be a good resale feature down the road but it’s hard to be positive when the $$$ keep flying out the door.      My husband has been on vacation this week but spent his time running around town and working his butt hiney off at the house, with no end in sight any time soon.      We are accepting any and all donations (LOL!

Faux Grain sack Pillow

I’ve been wanting to replace the old worn out, faded burlap pillow on my front porch bench for some time now.    I really didn’t want to do another burlap one, although I still love that look.    Sunday afternoon it hit me….why not try my hand at making my own grain sack pillow  ?!   So I rummaged around in my drop cloth stash, placed the pillow form on the drop cloth and cut it out.     Then I taped off my stripes.

 

How do you like my fancy-schmancy work station (a/k/a the ironing board)?

Then I started painting my stripes….I thought I’d be smart and mark  where to paint but accidently marked one wrong spot…(but I can live with that!)

Once I painted my stripes I carefully removed the tape…..

 

….and lookie here, instant grain sack!  (see that “x’”…that’s the uh-oh place)

Then I sewed both long sides, leaving the shorter ends open.   

I pinned the ties on…got to go back and stitch them on but I thought it turned out pretty good.

 

Of course, I had to take it outside to see how it looked on the bench.

The other two pillows I got  last spring at Target…I think they all tie in nicely

 

 

(don’t look too close underneath the bench….you can see turquoise paint drops from when I painted the bench that hideous turquoise color)!

 

Well, that’s my big project for the weekend.    I did finish up the pumpkin topiary for my daughter and hope to get it up to her house this week.      It really turned out cute…..see for yourself….

I’ll give a quick little tutorial on how I made it and what I used later this week.     I just snapped this photo on my back deck this afternoon so I could text the picture to daughter for her “approval”!

Pumpkin Topiary

My daughter has discovered Pinterest!    She pins at home, at work, and in the car pool line!   She found a picture on Pinterest she wanted to copy for her front porch.    It will be perfect because the stonework is very similar to hers and I thought it might not be too hard to make.    So for the past few weeks she’s been gathering up supplies and this afternoon I started working on it.    Here’s her inspiration picture:

I made the broom a few weeks ago and she brought the other stuff to her office so I could come by and pick it up.    I took advantage of our milder temps today and went out to the deck to get started on putting it together.   Please realize it is not finished at all!     This is just in its early stage.   Since I took the picture below I have sprayed the white Styrofoam base black to blend in with the kettle.    I still need to get a wreath to put on top of the Styrofoam so I can finish it off.

She bought a gel set to use on the pumpkins so that’s what you see on the large pumpkin (I see a missing star!).     Since these are Styrofoam pumpkins, I simply  cut a hole in the bottoms of the little and medium pumpkins for the stems to be inserted into.    I had to guess on the size but it worked out great.    Then I sealed them with Liquid Nails.    I’m going to let them “cure” overnight to be sure they don’t fall apart.    Then I’ll use Liquid Nails to secure the whole thing in the kettle.      We might stuff some moss between the pumpkins…what do you think?

Of course, now she wants me to come over and decorate her mantle and help her put things outside…..and of course, I’m going!    I haven’t got my outside decorated yet and probably won’t get it done for another week or so.    We’re keeping the twin grandchildren this weekend while daughter and her husband go to Auburn for the ballgame.    

Oh, and on my last post, I asked opinions on the hutch…the overwhelming majority said black which is what I liked too!     So in addition to working on the topiaries, I painted the hutch.    

 

BEFORE:

 

AFTER:

 

Still needs another coat and then hopefully my husband will get it hung.

 

I also wanted to tell ya’ll that I’ve recently reconnected with an old friend.    She has a beautiful home and I’m helping her make a few changes that I hope to share soon.     You will be in for a real treat when you see her house!

Black or White?

I have this hutch that used to hang in my mom’s house.   I want to use it my den above my sideboard to put white plates mixed with some silver pieces.     Here’s where I want to hang it…..

I don’t know why I never can capture the true wall color….here it looks gray-ish and it’s a true khaki

 

Here’s what it looks like:

 

I’m removing the dowel rod since that screams “country” to me!

Would you paint it black or white?    Opinions please!!!

Blueberry Delight and 500th Post

I didn’t realize that my last post was number 500 for me!    I don’t have a give away but do want to thank everyone who has followed along on this journey with me.    Thank you!!!

I’ve featured  this recipe before but I don’t think anyone will mind if I share it again.    My husband doesn’t care for “congealed salads” (as my mama calls them) but this is one he would eat every day.     When I first shared the recipe I told about a restaurant where we’d meet at for lunch when we were first dating which served their version of Blueberry Delight.   The “girls” always saved a piece for him so I figured out that I might want to find a way to make it for him so I’d be his favorite “girl”!    

BLUEBERRY DELIGHT

• 1 (3 oz.) package blackberry gelatin
• 1 (15 oz.) can blueberries
• 1 (8 oz.) can crushed pineapple, drained
• 1 (8 oz.) package crème cheese, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 – 2 cups chopped pecans 

In large bowl, dissolve gelatin in boiling water (follow directions on box).   Drain liquid from blueberries and pineapple and stir into the gelatin.   Pour into 2 quart mold (or large Pyrex dish) and refrigerate until firm.

Mix together softened crème cheese, sugar, sour cream and vanilla and spread over the congealed gelatin mixture.   Sprinkle crème cheese layer with chopped pecans and chill for approximately 30 minutes.   Cut into serving size pieces and serve.

NOTE:  I ADDED THE CRÈME CHEESE MIXTURE AFTER THE GELATIVE HAS SET UP AND BECOME FIRM.   IT MAKES IT EASIER TO SPREAD.   I ALSO ADD PECANS IN WITH THE CRÈME CHEESE MIXTURE AND THEN ADD MORE PECANS ON THE TOP.

 

Mmmmm-mmmm GOOD!

New Sofa and Chest

I’ve been on the hunt for a new sofa for our den for quite some time now.   I made two trips to Ikea to be ab-so-lute-ly sure about the Ektorp slipcovered sofa…one with a white slip and an additional khaki one to change things up.   My son was going to pick it up with his truck and bring it home but for some reason I just couldn’t send him.    Then on Monday I was out with a friend celebrating her birthday and we stopped in a high end antique gallery…this place is not your usual antique mall or flea market…you almost feel that you have to pay to go in!   I never go in by myself but she likes to shop there so since it was HER birthday, in we went!    Right away I saw this really pretty neutral sofa with beautiful lines and a price tag even I could live with.     I had the cashier call the vendor and she agreed to discount it 15% which made it even more attractive.    The next day hubby was going to check it out (i.e. lay down on it to see if he could stretch out) and we bought it!    I couldn’t’ be happier.    My main reason for not going with the white slipcovered one is that I would freak out every time someone sat on it I’d have to wash the slipcover…anal, I know, but that’s how I am.

Enough blabbing, here it is…

I know, totally different from a white slipcovered sofa but I love it!   Nice neutral color, rolled arms, nail heads….you’re talking my language now!    It has a chenille fabric that is so sofa and comfortable.   

 

AAAAAND…while I was out shopping yesterday for MY birthday I found this gorgeous painted and distressed chest that I first planned on using in the guest room I’m working on.   But once I got it home I did a switch-eroo and put it in the den and moved the chest that was in the den to the guest room.

The vendor told me this was a very old piece…I wish you could see it “in person” it is so pretty.   And then the vendor came to my house and bought a piece of furniture from me that I was going to put on Craig's List so I came out ahead.    I’ve bought several painted pieces from this vendor, she does amazing work.

This afternoon I’m working on painting a bookcase for the guest room.   I’ve made my template for the headboard and hopefully will get that cut out this weekend.    I might have to move into the guest room…it’s turning out so pretty, I can’t wait to share it with ya’ll.

Thank you for ALL of your wonderful birthday wishes, I had a wonderful day.  

Happy Birthday To Me!

dazzlejunction.com
 

Pumpkin Orange Spray Paint

Today I went in search of orange gloss spray paint to spruce up some old Styrofoam pumpkins I had.    

Seems like Krylon knew just what I was looking for!   

You can see that these pumpkins had seen better days.     After a couple of coats here’s what I got….

 

 

 

 

It doesn’t bother me that some of the mildew shows through…I think it makes them look more “realistic”

 

I’m helping my daughter make a pumpkin topiary for her front porch….this is what she found on Pinterest that we are using for our inspiration

The stone work looks just like hers.   I’ve already made her the broom and bought the black “kettle”.   I’m hoping we can get started on this project this weekend using the pumpkins I painted.   

I’ll be back next week to share my fall decorations.    

Have a wonderful weekend!

New “Copper” Mailbox

I’ve always loved a copper mailbox but the prices….not so much!    Recently my friend Diana  jazzed hers up with some spray paint and stained post.    So I got right on it and went out to create my own “copper” mailbox. 

Trying to use the pixel tool in Pic Monkey…so please excuse my attempt to blur out my address!

 

 

   Here’s the spray paint I used…

 

I thought since it said “high heat” it would withstand our brutally hot summers…we’ll see

The day I worked on my mailbox and post was when Hurricane Isaac hit so I was running back and forth between the times it rained!    Pretty funny, or at least my husband thought so!    I don’t like how the mailbox post turned out, maybe because I didn’t sand it, just slapped on some stain.    I might go back and paint it later on….or maybe I need a new post!     We’ve had a good bit of rain and so far it seems to be holding up.     My mailbox is a heavy duty type plastic and not metal.

We just came in from a few days on the gulf coast.    It rained all the way down on us and then Tuesday night when we went out to dinner, we got caught in a terrible thunder storm!    Of course, it was sunshine today on the way home!

Hope everyone had a fun and safe Labor Day!   My son and his family spent the weekend with us….here’s my littlest grandson….he’s so darn cute (and into E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G)!

(can’t wait to move this ugly sofa back to the sunroom…..)