Only 3 more days until the official start of the 2011 football season on the Plains and I can’t wait! We are the reigning National Champions and we’re stoked this season to see our Tigers in action. And just in case you want to know who my favorite team is……
Auburn University, we’re No. 1!
So for all my Auburn family…..
Yep, I bleed ORANGE and BLUE!
Today after meeting my daughter and granddaughter for lunch, I decided to stop off at my favorite flea market to see what had come in over the weekend. I hadn’t been in there but a few minutes when I saw a couple that looked kinda familiar, even though we had never met. It was Layla & Kevin Palmer of The Lettered Cottage !
Even though we live in neighboring towns and I know we shop at the same flea markets, we’ve never met. So I went up and introduced myself and found out they are some of the most down-to-earth folks around. They are such a cute couple and I’m hoping to do a little junkin’ with them one day. It seemed like we have a lot of the same thoughts about blogging and decorating.
So it just goes to show, you never know what (or who) you’ll find at the flea market! It might turn out to be a couple of cute bloggers who are as cute as can be and just happen to have a fabulous blog!
Saturday we will be heading to Birmingham to celebrate my Birmingham grandchildren’s birthdays. McKinley will turn 6 and Cade will be 1. Of course, it’s hard to forget your grandchild’s birthday but McKinley’s will always be marked by a major event….she was born the day Hurricane Katrina hit! A couple of weeks ago she was visiting with her other grandmother and I picked her up and took her to lunch.
(None of my granddaughters have any front teeth right now!)
Her sweet baby brother arrived last year on August 18th…fortunately there were no natural disasters that took place that day!
Here he is getting one of his first bath’s at home
Christmas 2010
We’ll be having cake & ice cream with family in the afternoon and then McKinley is having her first spend the night party….we’re not invited to that! Just imagine a bunch of 6-8 year old girls jumping on the beds, playing dress up, primping and doing all things girly!
I also have to share these photos of my other granddaughter Taylor when she posed the other night while we were at their house eating supper.
I have been trying to get a picture of her in the little top I got from this sweet friend so Taylor called me to tell me she had it on and to bring my camera….so of course I did just what she said!
She had to put on all her bracelets and that big green ring! (Love the chippy nail polish and dirty band aid!)
Not really sure what this pose is about but she said “Mimi, take my picture of me doing this”!
I hope everyone in the path of Hurricane Irene takes heed of all the warnings and stays safe.
Truly I am! I can’t go into a store without oogling all the lamps and always find one that would be perfect in my home. But there are only so many tabletops they will fit on so I pass them up. However, more times than I like, a lamp calls my name and I just can’t leave the store without it! A couple of months ago I picked up this lamp at a TJ Maxx in Biloxi, Mississippi.
Then this past weekend I was in the same TJ Maxx and picked up this one…..
Here’s a decorating trick I borrowed from my best friend Judy. She puts lamps, clocks, plates, books, or whatever she can fit into a box on her tabletops. I love that look! I’ve had this turquoise metal box I picked up when shopping with her last fall and decided to use it on my dresser in the bedroom since I’m using turquoise as an accent color in there (as well as the sunroom). It “just” fits and for now it will stay here. Now in a couple of weeks, it might turn up somewhere else!
I’ve seen both of these type lamps in high end catalogs and stores but can’t justify the price. The first one above cost $39.99 and the one I scored this weekend was only $29.99! Now that’s a price I can live with.
Then today when I was browsing through Hobby Lobby getting inspiration for some fall decorating (please hurry up and get here!) I saw this frame someone had apparently hid so no one else would buy it.
But I’m onto those tricks cause I do the same thing! Whenever I’m walking around, I look high and low cause you never know what you’ll find or where you’ll find it. Since frames were half price this week, I grabbed it up and ran to the check out. I was really surprised it was only $23.99 and would have gladly paid that but at half off that….well, you do the math.
Ya’ll remember I’m using turquoise in my sunroom too so this frame was perfect in there and I love the way it has that touch of black & white zebra which goes with my little zebra rug….
And the little chippy turquoise table I got at a local flea market
Here’s another little project I recently did. This is a coffee sack I picked up for $8.00 and put in this huge old frame I’ve had for a while. Hubby actually “installed” it and when he turned it over I saw it was crooked. Of course, he’s not as “anal” as me and didn’t think it needed to be fixed. I’ll get around to that one day but in the meantime it’s just propped up on the sideboard in the sunroom (not sure why the wall color is so washed out, it’s not that wimpy looking in person).
I wish I could tell ya’ll I’ve made some progress with making the panels for my sunroom but I’d be lying. I guess I’m just waiting for the urge to get busy sewing….soon I hope!
Really no words can do justice to this movie. Lots of emotions…..so I’ll leave you with my only advice…..GO.SEE.IT! One of the best movies I’ve ever seen. I can totally relate. Growing up a child of the south in the 60’s we always had “help”. They were like family members. The audience today were of many colors and I just wanted to go sit by one of my sistas and hold her hand and see if she felt the same way I did. Thankfully I never knew anyone who was like “Hilly”. Most everyone I knew was more like “Skeeter”. However, I just don’t know if I can ever eat chocolate pie again! (you have to see the movie to know what I’m talking about).
My mom really enjoyed herself. She wanted to eat at KFC (one of her favorites – not mine – but today was all about her) and afterwards we headed to the “picture show” as it was called in her day. She said it had been years since she’d been to the movies. The loud previews just about did her in until the movie started but once it did she settled down and was able to enjoy herself. When I picked her up at her assisted living cottage, she informed everyone she was going to lunch with her daughter and then to the movie….nothing like rubbing it in! Then when she got back I saw her in the dining room telling everyone about her adventure! I’m so glad I’m able to do things with and for her that bring her joy. I only hope that if I make it to 91 I’m able to get out and enjoy myself too!
On a different note, we just booked a little beach trip in October for a few days with daughter and her family. Then we are taking all the kids and grandkids to Calloway Gardens for Fantasy In Lights. We plan on going the weekend before Thanksgiving or the first week of December. We’ve never been and we decided that we’d do that for an early Christmas present for everyone. We’re hoping to stay at The Lodge & Spa. If anyone has been, we’d love to hear your experience or suggestions on things to do.
Today I’m taking my 91 year old mama to see The Help. She’s sooo excited! We’re going to lunch first and then to a matinee. If the movie is half as good as the book we’ll be in for a treat. Have you read The Help?
You’d think I should have those curtain panels made by now since it’s been a couple of weeks since the sunroom got painted and all I need to do is sew two pairs for two sets of windows, right? Well, in my defense, let me tell you why that hasn’t happened….
Last Tuesday I had a doctor appointment to follow up on an MRI I had done last October (yeah, it took me that long to finally go back to the doctor!). He said I have arthritis in my back, a bulging disc at L-4 and L-5 and sciatica nerve …oh the joys of aging! So the medicine he put me on is making me sooo sleepy and other side effects I won’t go into but I have no energy to tackle the curtain panels right now. I’m going to give that medicine 4 weeks and if it hasn’t kicked in by then, I’m going to call him back and see if he can prescribe something else.
Then on top of that my little grandson had a request that Mimi and Pop fix his toy box. Last year we reworked the old toy box that belonged to his mama and he has really enjoyed it. Here’s what it looked like while we were working on getting it ready for him to use
But boys being boys here’s what it looks like now…
I had no idea what to do but walking around at World Market (which, by the way is one of my favorite places to browse for ideas) I saw this….
It had a price tag of $179.00 which I would have been willing to pay but then I had a lightbulb moment and said to myself “Self, you can rebuild the top and add a couple of baskets, re-stain the toy box and for a LOT LESS, have the same thing” which is exactly what we’re going to attempt to do.
So Sunday afternoon after the race (which my husband is addicted to watching) we went to Home Depot and got a piece of wood, came home and he measured and cut it to fit which I think he did a darn good job of, if I do say so myself! (Look at those scribbles on the old top, those are from my grown children!)
I went back to World Market on Monday and found two basket to fit in the openings. Only problem is they are about 1/2” too big to fit inside but hubby is going to shave off a little on the sides of the box so the baskets will fit. Then I’ll take over and sand and stain the toy box.
Seems like we always have something to do that prevents us from finishing things around here….is it like that for you? But we don’t mind, especially when it involves those grandbabies. For instance, Monday I had a lunch date with my Birmingham granddaughter who was here for a few days at her other grandmother’s. I picked her up for lunch and we ate at McDonald’s.
Love these times together. Those curtain panels can wait….these babies can’t!
I hate to tease ya’ll with more peeks of the sunroom but honestly, I haven’t had time to finish up my curtain panels. Last Friday we had to remove a bathroom sink in my mom’s house (that’s been for sale for almost 2 years!) and we had to run out and buy one and get it installed today. Saturday I spent at daughter’s helping her do some organizing while her husband was at a guy’s weekend at the lake. It seems I have very little “me” time lately! However, I did find the cutest little side table at my favorite flea market while I was out running errands on Friday afternoon (before the sink fiasco) and it’s perfect in my sunroom….I wasn’t even looking for another table but this one just called my name!
I wish I could say I painted/distressed this little table….it is so “me!”
As you can see I made more book bundles (I’m a little obsessed with them), put out a picture of hubby and me with a cute white lamp I picked up at the beach in April.
The lady’s booth where I bought it had just marked it down to $49.99 and I asked her if she’d take $40.00….she said if I’d take it RIGHT THEN she’d take the $40.00! I couldn’t pay for it fast enough!
Here’s the old chippy tray I’ve showed ya’ll before along with some of those boxed faux plants I picked up recently, and of course more books!
And finally my $8.00 burlap sack I got that I’ve just draped over an old antique frame I have….I think I will cut it to fit inside the frame to hang over my white sideboard.
Well folks, that’s all I can show you for now. I’m really happy with how the room is turning out and can’t wait to get those panels made and show you the full reveal!
”