Silver Trappings

A Library Card Catalogue for My Studio

2012-02-20T18:18:00.000-06:00

I have been looking for a library card catalogue for my studio for a couple of years now. I found one in a little antique store in Waxahachie. I looove it - it just made this corner of my studio. This is the view as you enter my space. I'm in the process of labeling all the drawers...I usually open about 12 drawers before I find the one I'm looking for.

This is the storage I have in this space. My studio in KS had a full closet - I only have open storage in this house, so I will have to work at keeping my storage neat and tidy!

This wall is the "ugly" wall. The necessary printers. One of those white, plastic folding tables from Sam's. A TV so I can watch Sabrina and Christmas movies all year round. But I'm glad to have room for two tables in my new studio! Now I can leave beads all over one table and scrapbooking and journaling stuff all over the other table.

My husband and son were truly good sports when it came to driving 1 1/2 hours to pick up the card catalogue, take out alllll 60 drawers, load into the truck (a beast to move even with all the drawers out), put allll the drawers back in, 1 1/2 hours back home, take out alllll 60 drawers, carry the beast upstairs, carry alllll the drawers upstairs, put alllll the drawers back in....

I have to admit, the day after I bought this I had buyer's remorse - not because I didn't like it, but because my hubby did our taxes...because we sold our house a year ago and have been apartment hopping and are now in a rent house and have no mortgage deductions...we owe almost $10,000 in taxes. Yes, you read that right. I'm still in shock. But....once I got this home... yes, I'm still glad I bought it!

Shannon

Bead Show Shopping

2011-10-08T16:18:00.001-05:00

These are a few of the beads I bought today at a bead show in Dallas. Technically, these are supposed to be part of my Christmas present from my hubby. Which would mean that I should not be using any of them until after Christmas....

yeah.....

Shannon

Comfort in the Chaos

2011-10-03T09:43:00.000-05:00

This makes me happy

because a lot of my house still looks like this

...and what is even better -- I now live where I can stop on my way HOME to pick up Mrs. Meyers and Bath and Body works. It is not a 45 minute drive to civilization anymore! Oh, I still want my Pinterest Farmhouse; it's just that I have discovered something about myself - my farmhouse needs to be just barely outside of the city....

Shannon

Moving Again

2011-09-19T17:51:00.000-05:00

Well, we come to the next stop in this transition from being a military family to settling in to a permanent home. No, not the final stop. Just the next stop.

So far since my hubby retired, he lived in an apartment for several months in DC working a contract job. We sold our house in KS and four of us moved into a tiny 2-bedroom apartment, where hubby then joined us. Then we all five moved into another tiny 2-bedroom apartment in TX - this was a happy step in the process - it got us back to TX. Now we have finally narrowed down a vast area of possibilities to the fact that we want to build north of the Dallas area.

It would be nice to leave all our stuff in permanent storage till we build, but, alas, the military won't house our household goods for that long. So we have now rented a house...a real house...in the north Dallas area. This will be a year-long stop (or so) while we look for a piece of land and build our final stop. So only one more week to go in this apartment-hopping we have been doing. My son will possibly be the happiest. He has been sleeping in the dining room... I think he just might be looking forward to having a room of his own again... And we will all be happy to get our stuff back. Although, I will say this -- it's amazing what you realize you don't need when you only have the absolute BARE necessities for 7 months.

To keep myself occupied, I have spent much time on Pinterest. Who hasn't?? Many pictures in my Pinterest of the farmhouse I want to build. If you're on Pinterest, let me know so I can find you if I haven't already.

Gotta go throw a few things into a box now...

Shannon

4th of July Ideas and Recipes

2011-06-27T10:00:00.001-05:00

First of all, I wish I lived in the house above! How fun would it be to live there? And to host a 4th of July party there?? With streamers and lights in the back yard!

Right now we are in a little apartment, looking for a place to build a house...all of our stuff in storage...so my 4th of July party is not going to look like the above! But here are a few fun, easy ideas that I can manage...

How cute are these flowers and flags in a can!?

I'm not gonna paint my fingernails like this...I wish I could...but I would promptly ruin it. Maybe I can get my daughter to do this with all the little girls that will be here, though!

Here is a cute presentation...your silverware, napkin and glass all together.

I'm going to make this patriotic taco salad!

I don't eat hotdogs, but I'm going to make some sub sandwiches for one of our meals and tie them up with string and scrapbook paper! What a cute idea!

And this sparkling punch in one of those great glass beverage dispensers! Going to Garden Ridge for a couple of different dispensers next week.

A great fruit dessert!

And cheesecake in a jar! Well, I might do instant pudding in some of those clear plastic disposable cups. And I think I will make some blue jello topped with cool whip, and red jello topped with cool whip, both in clear plastic cups. A tray full of red, white and blue desserts that are kid-friendly!

If you go to my Pinterest here: http://pinterest.com/silvertrappings/4th-of-july/, you can see some more ideas for the 4th of July. And each picture links to its source, so you can get the how-to and the recipes! Have fun planning your 4th!

Shannon

The Town Square

2011-06-25T14:46:00.007-05:00

We are living in a wonderful little town in Texas with a charming little town square. It kinda has a Mayberry feel. The whole weekend of the 4th of July there will be celebrations in and around the square -- art shows, craft and food vendors, vegetable growing contests, musicals, a dance, a rodeo, a parade, outdoor concerts, and fireworks. The square is gearing up for the weekend. Here are a few pictures for you...

We have family coming out for the weekend. Gonna party all weekend!

Shopping and eating, here we come!

This building below is for sale. It's on one corner of the square. Every time I pass it, I wish so much I could buy it. I would love to have a store in the front corner and live in the rest of the building! How fun would that be?? Oh, how I wish. It's a far-cry from the colonial farmhouse we want to build out on a few acres. But those two choices would be equally as fun to me. Not sure I could sway my hubby on the thought of living on the town square and being one of the town square merchants, though...

I'm collecting ideas and recipes for the weekend. I'll be back soon to show you some of the cute ideas I've found for the 4th. People are so creative!

Shannon

House Hunting

2011-06-02T23:17:00.011-05:00

Well, we've made our move back home to Texas. (*insert loud cheers here*) So now begins the process of finding our new home. Our plan is to find a little bit of land and build our dream house. A white farmhouse with black shutters. I can see it in my head. But while we were driving around today, we spotted this Victorian. It was interesting enough that we scheduled a time to see inside.

The entry definitely can be wonderful. The tile on the floor and the burgundy carpet runner were all wrong. But they could go away... This house really needs to have all wood floors.

This gallery around the top of the stairs is kinda neat. Most rooms had a mixture of dark stained trim and white painted trim. One door would be dark, the next painted white. I liked it.

And I liked the front door.

This little girl, with her lighted tulips, is guarding the bottom of the stairs. Or maybe welcoming you? I couldn't figure out if I really liked her, or really didn't...

Several of the interior doorways had transom windows above them. All of the outside doors and windows had transom. I love transom windows. But, umm, not with bright, red, shiny grapes. And bluejays. But...I recently took a stained glass class, so I could make some stained glass windows that, uh, went a little better with the rest of the house.

And see the pocket door below the red grapes? There were several sets of pocket doors in the house. Like.

There is some Victorian trim in a few of the doorways. See the fireplace through that door? It is one of two mantels that are nailed to the wall, have a plastic sheet of faux brick..yes, a plastic sheet of brick...and, oddly, a pipe for running gas to these two fireplaces. Maybe they had plans to create real fireplaces with gas logs someday?? Only one of the maaaany very odd things that this house offered.

More bright, red, shiny grapes...

But see the double french doors? Several pairs of these around the house...yes. Like.

A back stairway. Like. New carpet, and maybe paint the wood white to lighten this area.

This is one of the two (yes...two) places that a chandelier is hanging from a mirrored tray ceiling. But...you could just sheetrock over the mirrors, right? The second one is in the master bedroom. Ahem.

I really liked some of the chandeliers. There were several. Just about every room had one.

The kitchen had great cabinets. Most of the uppers had glass doors. The, uh, shiny, faux green marble countertops. Well, those could come out. Fast. Very fast. Oh, and the country wallpaper border that was stapled to the wall halfway between the countertop and the upper cabinets - it could come off fast. And the lights in the kitchen could come down. Fast. And the table part of the island could come out. And the appliances. And the floor. Ok, so the kitchen needs a lot of work. But I liked the white cabinets.

The porch wrapped completely around three sides, and part of the fourth side of the house. The railings and columns need to be replaced. But it could look pretty. And most of the downstairs rooms had a door leading out onto the porch.

Both bathrooms upstairs had a clawfoot tub. Yes, this one is pink. But it could be painted black!

This one sits in a space with a lot of windows.

There are multiple problems with lights, definite siding issues, seeeeveraaal really odd things that I didn't show in this post because it is already a really long post and blogger was taking for.e.ver to upload pictures. But all of the really weird things could eventually be ripped out or covered up. Eventually.

These guys were lounging next door right by the fence. They'd be fun to have as neighbors.

So, we realized today that we might do a little bit of peeking around at some homes that need some TLC. Because what if there is some magnificent beauty around here? I'm just gonna keep this house rolling around in my mind for awhile. It has some definite possibilites. And some definite conversation starters.

Shannon

My Dream Bathroom

2011-05-23T15:30:00.000-05:00

Ok, I think I could take a bath in this room...what about you?

I wouldn't mind having this bathroom either! Yes, please. I'll take it just like it is.

I'm collecting pictures on Pinterest for the house we're hoping to build next year. These two bathrooms made it to my Pinterest. Now, whether my bathroom ever looks like one of these...well, that might be another story.....but in the meantime I'm just gonna play like, 'kay?

Shannon

Photos: BH&G

Indie Business 3.0 Launch Party

2011-04-11T08:30:00.000-05:00

I took the wonderful online class Indie Business 3.0 taught by Leigh-Ann, Jill Murno and Lisa Leonard. It was so inspiring and helpful. I still have a lot of material to work through. I am in the middle of a move from KS to TX, so my shop is not fully stocked. Sooo, now is not a time for me to launch new products, but a lot of my classmates are launching new shops, new products or new blogs. There are some really cute places to visit in this list!

Happy clicking!!

My Shop

New Shops!

Pursue Joy

Rouge & Whimsy

Jonelle Maira

Zora Belle

Bibeez Baby

Lilac Lime Studios

Meredith Pannett

Project Anthologies

Stella Grace Boutique

Made by Kait

Craftzee

Random Gypsy

Kate Pixley Designs

Just Because

Photo by Jodi

Pink Pepper Jewelry

Wish You Were Then

Tag...You're It

Pickled Poppy

Nola Love

Geeky and Sassy

A Sign of Life

Hey Daisy

The Painted Frame

Dawn Stitches

My Happy CA
Sew Indy
Asymmetrical Joy
Stitched in Faith

New Blogs!
Sew Indy
My Simply Great Life
One Man, One Wife, and Our Life
Random Gypsy
Just Because
Blissful Creations
Pieces of Me
Sweeter Lemon
Remarkably Domestic

My Happy California
Asymmetrical Joy
Operation Stitch
Nola Love

New Products!
Little White Chapel
Froggy Girl Designs
Karis Kisses
Modern Republic
Fawn Over This
Kamika Kraftz
Some Odd Girl
Eleventh Monkey
Bonita Rose
Lou C's Designs
Pulp Sushi
Heart & Soul Pieces
The Luna Tree
Green Dandelion
Eef-Ink
Random Gypsy
Zuma Lilly
Lollipops
The Busy Bean
Linkel Designs
Funky Faith Designs
Buggle and Boo
JanMary Designs

Whew! That's quite a list! Hope you have time to visit a bunch of them. There are some really cute items, pretty jewelry, fun things!

Good luck to all my classmates!

Shannon

Artifacts Jewelry for my Scientist Daughter

2011-04-07T14:48:00.001-05:00

I made this necklace for one of my daughters for her birthday. She is not a girly girl, and doesn't wear jewelry that often. Really the only time she wears jewelry is when she is dressing up a little for church or for some particular event. So I tried to tailor this necklace to fit her and her interests. She got her degree in biology with a chemistry minor. She wants to get her masters in a particular biology discipline. She works at the zoo. She wants to get into research. She loves biology, astronomy, geology, creation science, physics, ancient history, politics...yeah, conversations with her are sometimes just a wee bit over my head.

I ordered a stack of books for her (that she picked out) from the Creation Research Society - books about cosmology and creation, natural limits to biological change, the genesis of germs - sounds like fun reading, huh?

Sooo, you can see why I chose the items I did for this necklace--

Some of the beads I chose are basically antique artifacts...

The first two items are freshwater pearls (elements from nature...)

Then an old typewriter key for her initial (she likes old stuff...)

The little black button is a vintage shoe button. (...old stuff...)

The little white disc is an antique African ostrich bone bead. (antique, artifact...)

The tiny copper bead with the ostrich bone bead is an antique African brass bead.

The large white bead is an antique African yak bone bead.

The blue and red disc is an antique African trading bead.

Then I hand stamped the word "Artifacts" on a nickel tag I cut out...

The little blue disc below is an antique Venetian glass bead used in trade to the Africans in exchange for spices, peppers, etc.

The brass charm below the Venetian glass bead is an antique African handmade brass charm that they use as decoration on their little babies' hats.

I made the copper bezel and inserted a "nature-y" line drawing.

The button with two holes is from the Civil War era.

The blue and red disc is another antique African trading bead, and coupled with it is a tiny antique African nickel bead.

Then there is an antique African brass bell.

And, finally, an antique African water buffalo bone bead.

Hopefully, this will be a piece of jewelry that she enjoys wearing because it is a little bit of history....

Shannon

Pinterest Obsession!

2011-03-30T16:44:00.001-05:00

I recently discovered Pinterest. I had never heard of it until people in my Indie Biz 3.0 class started talking about it. LOVE! It is one of those places that you can ~~waste~~ spend many hours discovering and drooling!

These are a few of the pictures I have pinned onto the Farmhouse board I created. Oh. my. goodness. The inspiration you can find on Pinterest!

I have started some boards for the farmhouse we are hoping to build when we move back to Texas. What a great place to keep all the ideas I run across online! And every time you pin a picture to a board, it saves the url for that picture, so you can find your way back to the original source. Sooo helpful. Sometimes in the past I have saved a picture in my google notebook, and have wanted to go back to the blog or website I found it on, but have been unable to locate it. With Pinterest I can always find my way back to the source!!

If you want to see the boards I have started on Pinterest, go here.

Oh, how I WANT these lockers in a mudroom!! Love!

If you are on Pinterest, I would love the link to your boards so I can browse!

Shannon

Indie Business 3.0

2011-03-08T15:30:00.001-06:00

This class is SO FUN AND INSPIRING!!! I'm soooo glad I registered for it! Some of the class assignments are fun projects like this notebook. And then other classes are brainstorming and filling out the worksheets in our notebooks. As we work on different projects and assignments, I have this wonderful notebook to collect all my information in one place. Inside the front cover I made a pocket for holding info that I'm not quite ready to transfer onto my worksheets.

To make the dividers, I traced the outline of a regular office supply divider onto chipboard so that I would have my spacing right. I cut out five dividers. Then I just decorated them with scrapbook papers and some little metal embellishments. I had to get the metal in there, because most of what I create is either from metal, or has some metal on it somewhere. Silver, obviously, draws me like a magnet. But I also LOVE the look of mixed metals, whether it be in the jewelry I make, or the servingware on my dinner table.

One of the sessions we have been working on is Constructing Your Style. I had so much fun with this. It truly did help me to refine some of the things I already knew about myself. Ok, I said fun. Finding the pictures to represent my style was fun. HOWEVER, creating a digital collage - that was less than fun. I used several different free sites online trying to create a collage that I could print out for my notebook and upload to my Flickr. I spent HOURS. I finally got this collage done on Smilebox, and was able to print it out for my notebook. But could I upload it straight to Flickr? No - not unless I wanted it to be sideways! So I finally took a picture with my camera and got it onto Flickr that way. I really hate being technologically STU.PID.

But now that I have fiiiiiinally succeeded in making one collage, I may make another one with some more pictures for my style. Because I wish I had included some clothing on this page. I would like to spread this style across the board in my life - my house, my clothes, my blog, my website, my jewelry.

It's a fun process to refine your style! I have also found a book at the library called Style Statement, by Carrie McCarthy and Danielle LaPorte. I've read about a third of it so far. It seems to fit right in with this Indie 3.0 class!

I'll put up more pictures about the class projects soon.

Shannon

Adapting to a Very Small Space

2011-03-05T10:45:00.004-06:00

Ok, so I have lived through the past month. My hubby has been working in DC for the past few months on a short-term contract job. (He's back now - yea!) While he was gone our house sold, so I had to deal with all the house repairs, contractors, packers for most of our stuff, and move us into a small apartment without him. Not the kind of things I am good at! But, we got it all done and moved into an apartment till mid-May. The week after we moved in, hubby came home - and, comically, he is home to start a new job which will have him working from his home "office" a lot of the time. We're here till mid-May, when we will move HOME to DALLAS! Yea!!!!!!

In the meantime, we have all five claimed our own little spots in this small space we're living in, and it's working for us. We're all just consciously trying to be considerate of each other's needs for quiet and space.

This is my view from the chair I have claimed. I pretend I'm already living in a wonderful farmhouse in Texas, and this is my own brick wall, with woods beyond. It's a great place to sit and look outside and think about my assignments - I'm taking the WONDERFUL online class - Indie Business 3.0. Lisa Leonard is one of the teachers. We started this week - it's soooo inspiring and enlightening! Love it!

This is my "studio" - I work on my Indie Biz notebook here, and I work on my jewelry here. Hopefully in our next house I will have my own studio again, but until then, this works.

By day this is hubby's home office, by night this is his game arcade....

This is Lexi's piano studio.... She is a piano performance major in college, graduating in May (which is why we're hanging around here till mid-May). Much time will be spent in this corner....

Rachel hides out in the girls' bedroom when she is home...as long as she has her computer and books, she's happy.....

This wall of electronics is in the bedroom that my hubby and I sleep in, but it seemed like the place to put Peter so that we could close the door if he has games going and we want some quiet. He's usually on his headset talking to someone online on xbox or pc games....

And, just in case the stress of tight quarters gets to anyone, we have this......

Now that we're settled, I can enjoy my Indie Biz class. And start looking for a house in the Dallas area!!!!

Shannon

One of My Lists

2011-02-10T09:30:00.000-06:00

I run through most of these emotions on any given day lately....

Maybe I should draw my emotions on my sticky notes. Would that help my stress level??? We close on our house in 2 1/2 weeks. I have 2 weeks to finish the repairs. :/

We are moving into some short-term housing. All of our stuff is going into non-temporary storage until we know where we're going.

So, one of my lists is what to take with us that we might need in the next few/several months. We only have room to take the ABSOLUTE ESSENTIALS. So far here is what I've got....

4 extension cords (Because then each one of us will have one. I don't want to have to share my extension cord with anyone.)

some of my jewelry making stuff (because I need that!)

only the necessary clothes and shoes
ALL computers (NEED)
2 small tv's and their CABLES
DVD player and its CABLES
remotes

oh, and the xbox and its STUFF and its CABLES (because my son might die without it)

a few books (we neeeeed books)
school books

wireless router (NEED)

vacuum
Mrs. Meyers cleaners (need the pretty labels in my kitchen)

oh, make-up and shampoo, obviously
food from the fridge and pantry (because my kids will think that they need to eat every day)

my daughter's caged creatures (because I don't think they can go into permanent storage)

sticky notes (because I can't get through a single hour without using at least one)

I want so badly to write MAGAZINES on my list. Serious addiction to home decor and craft magazines. I might break out in hives if I don't have a tall stack of magazines to look at! I think that falls in the ABSOLUTE NECESSITY category, doesn't it???

Am I forgetting anything essential???

Shannon

Making Lists

2011-02-02T14:01:00.002-06:00

So, these are my constant companions lately. I'm trying soooo hard to be organized...

I used to think I was a very organized person, but certain times over the past few years I have begun to realize that.....well, I'm not. I write things down on sticky notes. Lists. Many lists. I usually have a PILE of lists on sticky notes on the table by my chair. Then when I have to straighten things up for company, or a house showing, etc., I put all those sticky notes in the drawer, or in a stack of paper, or in a drawer in my studio, or in the closet in my studio, or...you get the idea. I may or may not see them again in time for them to be useful to me...

We fiiiinally have a contract on our house and will be closing the end of February. And a lot of the things that my hubby would normally be taking care of I am having to do because of what his job has going on.

So I have lists. Many lists. I'm trying so hard to keep my lists contained. And findable. I'm trying to keep my lists in this little notebook. And papers in this blue file. But, for some reason, as I sit here typing, I see that there are about a dozen sticky notes on the table beside me.

Is there any hope???? I don't suppose anyone has some magnificently perfect solution for me???

Shannon

What happens when you DON'T keep your house clean while it is on the market???

2010-09-21T19:28:00.003-05:00

Well, that is when your realtor will call you with a one-hour notice of a showing! Below are some of the messes I had going when my realtor called today. My entire studio looked like this... And because my studio was a mess, I had also started a project at the kitchen table. Piles of shredded rope that I am turning into "bottle brush" Christmas trees...

And since the kitchen table was a mess, I had also started a project in the den. This looks like piles of mummy-wrap, but it is for another type of Christmas tree I am making...

Sooo...when the realtor called today, I had to go tearing home. The shredded rope and piles of mummy-wrap got thrown into the back of my car. I straightened up my studio lightening fast. Between the kids and I, in less than one hour we cleaned all the bathrooms, vacuumed the hard floors, dusted most of the house, scooped the leaves out of the pool, wiped down all the kitchen counters, turned on all the lights, and ran out the door to go eat dinner.

It helped that under the messes everything was actually already clean. But, I think I will try to keep my mess limited to my studio! I am doing my FIRST-EVER craft show in 3 weeks in Dallas!!! I'm excited! Which explains the hairy rope piles and mummy-wrap piles.

My kids seem to think that I need to review Rule #1 and #2 of my new house rules...

Shannon

Keeping Your House Clean While it is on the Market

2010-09-09T19:05:00.003-05:00

Well, I thought I would keep up better with some posts about getting my house ready to put on the market. But it was all so CONSUMING that I was doing good to keep my head above water. There is now a sign in the front yard. And our realtor has had one open house. The day before they stuck the sign in the yard I thought I was DONE. But then when they scheduled the open house for one week later, I went from room to room looking for anything else that needed to be done. And you know what? It took me all week to do all the things I found! How??? I thought it was perfect the day the sign went into the yard!

But, now, finally, I do think it is done. Now it is a matter of maintaining. I have instituted some new rules around my house in order to maintain a near-perfect state. Such as:

1. If you put it down, you better pick it right back up and go put it in its assigned home right now.

2. EVERYTHING in this house has an assigned home. And that is the ONLY place it is ever allowed to be!

3. Do not EVER leave a fork or cup or plate on the counter or in the sink. Rinse it and put it in the dishwasher the instant you are done with it. If you leave it on the counter, I will wait till you are asleep and then I will come wake you up and make you put that fork in the dishwasher.

4. If you have a fork to put in the dishwasher and you discover that the dishwasher is clean, that means that you drew the lucky straw - you get to empty the dishwasher, and then put your dirty fork into it.

5. When you are leaving the house to go to school or work or to run an errand, you have to make sure your bed is made and your room is perfect!

6. Every day you can expect me to give you an assignment in the house. It might be vacuuming, or cleaning a bathroom, or dusting the den. But there will be something, so expect it.

7. Every single morning you must wipe down your bathroom sink and counter with a paper towel and spray cleaner. Every single morning.

8. Yes, I know you just cleaned that 4 days ago. Yes, I do mean that I want you to clean it again today. No, you do not need to wait until it LOOKS like it needs to be cleaned. The point here is that nothing should ever LOOK like it needs to be cleaned.

9. You are NOT allowed to EVER wait until every garment you own is in the dirty clothes and the dirty clothes are piled to the ceiling. If the color coded baskets in the laundry room are 2/3 full, then you must put that load in to wash.

10. And when you wash a load, it cannot be "hung up" on your bedroom floor. That is not hanging. That is throwing. Hanging means on a hanger, on the closet rod. See #5 - your room must be perfect before you leave the house to go anywhere.

11. If you come home and there are cars in front that you don't recognize, keep driving. That means a realtor is showing our house and you cannot come home.

12. Do NOT bang pots and pans around in the new kitchen sink and leave those silver/black marks in the sink for me to have to clean. Wash pans carefully and leave the sink spotless.

13. You make a mess, you die.

So far this is working very well! But if you can think of any other rules you think I should add, I'm open to suggestions...

Shannon

Get Your Kitchen Ready (to sell your house)

2010-08-26T15:55:00.004-05:00

We have lived in this house for four years with blue countertops. NOTHING else in the entire house is blue. I have no idea why someone put blue countertops in this house...the other colors were browns with deep reds in some of the wallpaper. And blue countertops in the kitchen...

But now, they are not blue laminate any more! They are a very pretty soft-black solid surface. I love them! I wish we had changed them four years ago so we could have been enjoying them all this time. But...I would definitely suggest that you consider doing a little updating in your kitchen before putting it on the market...especially if you have blue countertops...

We also put new pulls that are an oil-rubbed bronze color. Our old pulls were shiny brass with plastic cream middles. I know.

Since I was essentially choosing these for the next homeowners, I was torn between a neutral cream and black. So I used the very scientific method shown below...I laid out a cream colored tablecloth and a black skirt...and I stood and stared at it. I'm very glad I went with the black. It makes much more of a statement than the cream would have.

Below are the old blue countertops the day we were about to tear them out. And you can see the old, lovely pulls...

We took the countertops off very carefully and were able to save the tile backsplash. Not that I love the backsplash...I most decidedly do NOT. But we were really trying to do our updates for as little money as possible.

By only doing the countertops and pulls, we did not spend that much, but the kitchen really does look a WHOLE lot better! An update I would highly recommend...

Shannon

Clear Out Closets and Clutter Before You Put Your House on the Market!

2010-08-02T19:44:00.006-05:00

This is Part 3 of "Get Ready to Sell Your House."

Two weekends ago we had our garage sale. We started on Thursday - definitely the day to start a garage sale. About 3/4 of our stuff was gone by noon on Thursday! Friday morning I sold a little bit, and then I just started telling everyone to take whatever they wanted. And did the same thing on Saturday. It's all gone now! I was more interested in it going away than in making some money on it.

People told me they liked my signs because they were easy to see and to follow. I just bought those cheap $3 small garage sale signs at Home Depot, and I covered them in hot pink posterboard, and drew big arrows on them. Make your signs easy to see and easy to follow!

So now I am in the "cleaning out closets" stage. When people look at your house, you want them to see how big your closets are. Also, not a good idea if your closets need a sign hanging on the door knob warning of possible avalanche if opened. So if your closets are packed to the brim, pack some of your stuff and go rent a small self-storage unit.

And think about things like this - I had been storing some of my odd kitchen stuff in the linen closet down the hall from the kitchen. Things that I don't use much, so I didn't want them taking up prime space in my kitchen. But...if people open my linen closet and see that it is full of kitchen stuff, they are going to instantly assume my kitchen doesn't have enough storage. NOT what you want them to be thinking! So I am packing the kitchen stuff that is in the linen closet, and it is going to go to the storage unit, too. After I get all the kitchen stuff out of this closet, I will round up the towels and sheets that are stored here and there, and put them all in their proper home in the linen closet - they have not been in there in four years!

As you are clearing out the clutter, throwing away or giving away as much as possible, make sure you clean as you go. Dust shelves, clean the baseboards, etc.

And while you are decluttering your closets, clear the surfaces in the room. You need to just have one or two items on top of your dressers and coffee tables. You want buyers to be able to picture their own stuff in your house, not be overwhelmed with all of your stuff.

We have about a week to go before our house goes on the market. And still have so much to do! I need for there to be about three more of me...

Shannon

Get Ready to Sell Your House - Part 2

2010-07-26T19:38:00.008-05:00

First up is purging, right? Get rid of everything you possibly can. Be ruthless! So right now my house has paths, no open floor space. Every room is covered in piles of stuff for the garage sale.

I did have to take some time this past weekend, though, to make some kitchen counter decisions. If you inherited blue kitchen counter tops, and nothing else in your whole house is blue, you might want to consider changing them!

Below is my very scientific way of deciding on color. I knew I wanted black, but I was wondering if I should go with a light neutral. So I laid a tablecloth and a skirt out to look at the colors.
I decided on the black. They come measure tomorrow, and install next week. It has just occurred to me that when they come in my house tomorrow, they might be scared. You will see why if you scroll down... By the way, while you are trying so hard to get rid of as much as possible, you should just watch and enjoy moments like these...

My daughters saw some boxes of kids books that I had pulled. They went through every book, talked about the ones they loved, the memories of bedtime stories, etc. Above they are reading one of the Carl books.

They both pulled out a stack of books to take to their rooms and keep. And I didn't mind at all. It was a sweet moment to watch.

Below is what some of my house looks like right now. This is why the counter top measuring man might be scared when he gets here tomorrow...

By the way, while you are pulling for the garage sale - TAKE THE TIME if at all possible to do some cleaning. Wipe down all closet shelves. Vacuum closet floors really well. Use the tools to vacuum/dust all the baseboards in the closet and room. Move the bed after you pull all the toys and socks and pencils and hershey kisses out from under it, and vacuum up the dust bunnies. We had some dust bunnies under beds that were scary big. Big enough to fight back. If you clean as you pull for the garage sale, you will be well on your way to being ready to stage it for showing!

My poor studio....somehow I have to get that blue chair out of that room tomorrow to put it in the garage sale...

While I was pulling for the garage sale in my studio, I did pull and condense enough to clear one side of the closet. Since my studio is in one of the bedrooms of this house, hopefully now lookers can visualize this as a bedroom closet.

Once the garage sale is over this weekend, it will be time to pack some things up and take them to a storage unit close by. Potential home buyers need to be able to open your closets and walk in and see how much room you have! The closet below is about 10 feet deep. But right now it only has room to open the door. Um, this is our Christmas storage room. Yes. It's all Christmas. My hubby might think I have a little too much Christmas stuff.

Tomorrow I am going to start taking all this stuff out to the garage. I think I have it all priced now. And I must remember to get our garage sale listed on Craigslist! Free advertising! Take advantage of it. List the items that you know garage sale shoppers will be interested in. And list the hours you will be selling.

Also - have to make my signs
and get some money to be able to make change

And, just to add interest to the week, one of my daughters is having several girls over on Saturday for a pool party. So I guess I need to make a list of things for her to do to get the house ready for company (is that a joke, or what??). And a list of food to buy.

What else am I forgetting?

Shannon

Get Ready to Sell Your House - Part 1

2010-07-21T23:00:00.007-05:00

This is a list of the projects on my to-do list for the next month. Our house is going on the market in a month because my hubby is retiring from the Air Force. I want to see this list in print for a few reasons.

First, because it is always swirling around in my head and makes me dizzy. Maybe if it is in print my little head will have a few moments of peace here and there.

Second, because seeing it all listed in one place will hopefully scare me into activity.

Third, because I like to check things off of a list. So I can edit this post to mark everything as I complete it.

This might be the first of a few posts on "Get Ready to Sell Your House." If I follow through with that plan. Sometimes when I try to do a little mini-series...well...anyway. I might make this a mini-series.

So, if you are getting ready to sell your house, the first thing to do is make a list. So, now I have completed this first task. I am going to make this part be red and small - to check it off.

So if you want to laugh, or to feel sorry for me, read on...

Places/Rooms to pull stuff for Garage Sale
my studio - done
Peter's room - done
Lexi's room - done
Rachel's clothes
my closet - done
2 closets in upstairs hall - done
blue bookshelves - done
tall bookshelves in my room - done
bookshelves downstairs hall - done
file cabinet in utility room - done
electronics in utility room - done
any chairs we can - done
garage stuff - done
make sale signs - done
price and set up - done

Put in Storage Locker
(because I don't want potential homebuyers to be injured by falling debris when they open the closets to look in)
stuff from closets we don't need
--Rachel's
--linen closet (kitchen stuff)
Christmas stuff
books we keep from shelves we sell

House Projects before it goes on the market
take books to used book store to sell - done
choose kitchen counters - done
schedule kitchen counter replacement - scheduled
either paint or replace kitchen pulls/knobs
paint kitchen
black shelves off kitchen wall-patch holes
get new kitchen trash can
new kitchen light (taking mine w/ me)
touch up studio paint
change studio light (cuz I'm taking it w/ me)
touch up paint in Lexi's room
black shelves off Rachel's wall-patch holes
touch up paint in Rachel's room
paint girl's bathroom
touch up paint in Peter's bathroom
finish paint in our bathroom
paint laundry room
paint family room
touch up dining room wallpaper
get brown swivel rocker upstairs
list homeschool books on ebay
theeeeeen, clear surfaces, stage properly

outside: (well...not me. this section is for hubby & son)
finish fence - finally DONE
take out overgrown bushes
replace with something less bohemoth-ish
flowers for front yard
touch up paint on front bench
replace porch light (cuz it's ugly)

So, now that I see this list I should be scared into activity. But I think actually I just want to go blog-hopping. And maybe take some Advil. And drink a coke.

Shannon

Dear Blog,

2010-07-21T22:06:00.004-05:00

I know it seems like I have abandoned you. But I really haven't. I don't know what happened. I come and see you every now and then. And wonder WHY your Christmas countdown has black flashing lines in the middle of it. And I read a past post here and there. And then I go read a few of your blog friends' recent posts. And I wonder why I am not blogging right now. But I never could come up with a reason why.

But lately I have really missed you. So I am back now. And I have some plans. First up will be about moving. Not you. You are not moving. I am moving. And I think I need a place to chronicle this activity. Not like it is all that unusual. We move every 4 years. But now that I have you, dear blog, I can chronicle this move with you.

Hopefully, you are kind of like "man's best friend." You know, unconditional love. We can pick back up right where we left off. Well, not right where. Because that was when I was starting my Over 40 Comeback. Yeah, I did more than I wrote about. And I am glad about it all. But I am not really in the mood for continuing that topic here. Because now I am up to my elbows in sorting, tossing, painting. Sweating. Yes. I know. Sweating is against my religion. But it is 105, or maybe 140, outside. Well, yes, I am working inside. But knowing it is that hot outside just makes me sweat. And sorting and tossing and rearranging all the closets in my house just makes me sweat more. Just look at the mess I have made today in my studio! Sad, isn't it?

Anyway, I'm glad to be having this talk. Now we can move forward...

Sincerely,
Shannon

Staging Your Comeback

2010-02-06T13:43:00.006-06:00

Well, at this point I am out of my big cast, and in a velcro thing. And my doctor said that I might not need surgery after all. I go back in about a month for more x-rays. At some point I will start rehab. He told me that it was going to be many months before my hand will be back to its full use and full strength.

SO, I had to quit my job at Hobby Lobby. So now I have more time to pursue some other things in life. No money, but more time. I bought this book - "Staging Your Comeback: A Complete Beauty Revival for Women Over 45." I have been dressing in middle-age mom frump for many years now. This book just really struck me, and encouraged me to jump into a full makeover.

Step One - My Closet

The day after I finished the book, I emptied my closet. Most of it was stuff I had not worn in many years. And the rest of it was ugly frump.

This pile is PART of what did NOT go back into my closet. I filled up four trash bags that I threw away, and I filled up five trash bags that I took to Goodwill.

This is what my closet looks like now. And there is only one shirt that I actually really like. The rest I kept because if I only kept one shirt, I wouldn't be able to leave my house.

The bottom rod only has a few things that I kept from my kids childhood, and a lot of empty hangers. I only kept TWO pair of shoes - my tennis shoes, and that one pair of black shoes for church. The rest went in the trash.

A couple of days later I went shopping. I bought one pair of black slacks and a few new shirts - but NO MIDDLE-AGE MOM FRUMP! I put on the clothes that I bought to show my kids, and they told me I looked stylish. Now, you should know that the word stylish has never been used in the same sentence with my name. Unless, of course, there was a big, fat "NOT" thrown in there. So that made me really happy. Ugly mom frump is outta here.

Ok, so about this book. If you are in need of knowing what style/shape of clothes will look best on your body shape, and what type of accessories you should or should not wear for your body shape, what make-up and haircut you need to look your best, then you NEED this book, too. I'm telling you, it is the best book I have ever read.

Next up - my new haircut.

Shannon

Some Lessons Learned

2010-01-16T08:58:00.006-06:00

A few of the things I learned as we closed out 2009 and started into 2010~

1. Pay attention and hold on when you are going down the stairs with a broom

because if you don't, you might get tangled up with the broom and fall down the stairs. And break your hand and one bone in your arm and your elbow. And jam your toe. And pull or tear something in your other elbow. And bruise yourself in several other places. And have surgery on your hand coming soon.

2. You really should strive to be 90% ready for Christmas the first week of December

because if you do fall down the stairs the first week of December and are limping and swollen and hauling around a huge cast and have to keep your arm OVER your head for two full weeks, if you have not finished decorating and have not even STARTED Christmas shopping, you will be very sorry that you are not one of those on-top-of-it people who are ready for Christmas.

3. Sometimes you have to let go of your perfectionist, controlling ideas and plans

and just say, "yes, that's good enough" ~ and then really enjoy the "good enough." (And, hopefully, you can always remember this lesson so that you do not get crazy and obsessive about events and occasions in the future.)

4. Your haircut is important - spend the money to go to a really good stylist - and go often

because if you do fall down the stairs and are one-handed for awhile, you need a cut that is manageable. If you have not gotten your hair cut in months, and have a long, droopy look you will be unhappy. And you will look like a scarecrow when you try to do your hair.

If you do find yourself in this scarecrow situation, go to a really good stylist and tell him that you need a cut that can be managed with one hand. Then - be patient - in a couple of weeks you will have figured out little tricks for drying and curling with one hand, and you will get to the point that you can achieve a moderate degree of success most days. Most. And on those other days, just stay at home in your pj's all day, claiming that your arm is really hurting, and send your kids out to do your errands.

5. While we are on the subject of hair -

do not try to use a round brush to blow dry your hair if you are one-handed. Unless your mom is in town for Christmas and can disentangle you.

6. You do not have to do it all!

It will not be easy to get ready with one arm that is also hurt. It will take forever to get ready to leave the house. It is ok to choose to skip some functions or events that you would normally go to. And it is ok if you look around your house and see the piles growing. Because eventually you will feel better and be able to do a little more. You do not have to be superwoman and do it all to perfection. (This should apply to all of us all the time.)

7. God might just want you to slow down and reorganize your time and priorities

He might just want you to simplify a little bit.

8. And God might be reminding you that you are supposed to also take care of yourself

because as mothers we tend to put ourselves at the bottom of the list and do not even keep up with some of our basic needs. So take your vitamins, get a good haircut, and spend some money on a couple of new shirts that will go over your cast - this will make you SO very happy. (Of course, I am not saying to put yourself first and become all witchy - just take care of yourself. It will actually help you to be able to care for your family even better.)

9. Just because you can type at a reasonable speed without looking at the keyboard, does NOT mean that you know where the letters are on the keyboard

but after typing with one hand for awhile, you will learn where the letters are and get surprisingly quick at one-handed typing. Which will also help you when you are using your new Droid phone with TWO nifty qwerty keypads!

10. Speaking of Droids -

can I just tell you that I LOVE having a phone with 2 qwerty keypads, TONS of apps that I can download in the middle of the night when I should be sleeping, and INTERNET ACCESS everywhere I go - anytime I want!!!!! And calendars to organize myself and set event reminders, and places to store all kinds of contact information, and fun background pictures, Christmas trees and mantles I can DECORATE, games like Bejeweled that I can play when I am waiting for my son at the dentist or orthodontist, and the list goes on...

Thank you again to my hubby - this was a great Christmas present!

11. Speaking of typing, if you abandon your poor little blog for almost 2 months, it will forgive you and welcome you back with open armS (because it is not in a cast)

and you will be very happy to be reunited.

12. 14 year old sons who happen to have the gift of service can be an amazing blessing

because they will constantly be noticing that you need a drink refill, will be able to tell that you need some tylenol and bring it to you without being asked, will jump up and open the back door when they see that you are having a hot flash, and can decorate a beautiful Christmas tree (since you did not get all your trees up before you fell down the stairs)!

13. A daughter who has worked with horses for several years can be very efficient at wrapping ace bandages when you are still in a temporary splint before your cast goes on. And she will be very efficient at taping your arm up in a plastic bag so you can take a shower.

When you tell her that she is quick and efficient, she will tell you that she has wrapped a lot of horses legs. (Do you think that means she is comparing me to a horse? Let's just not ask her that question, okay?)

14. It is very handy to have another daughter that has worked at Dream Dinners for years and is very efficient in the kitchen

and is a very good cook! And did NOT learn her skills from a horse.

I am sure that I can think of many more lessons learned, but it has taken me all morning to do this post (even though I am getting much faster at typing one-handed). My hubby is flying back into town today. I am still in my pj's. I should probably go get dressed, and turn the lights on, and open the blinds before he gets home.

Shannon

Christmas Feather Wreaths

2009-11-23T21:08:00.006-06:00

This week at Red Writing's is all about wreaths and door decor. So I am going with my feather wreaths. This little red feather wreath lives on my mantel most of the year. And at Christmas I add this great stem to it to dress it up. I start with a little feather wreath. . .

Add one great stem. This one has a little greenery and a velvet and glitter chocolate poinsettia.

I also use one long silver glittery fern leaf.

I just curve the stem and glittery leaf and let them hang in front of the little red feather wreath. Here she is all dressed up for Christmas . . .I absolutely love feather wreaths. But they are really expensive! When I was doing my fall mantel I wanted a chocolate feather wreath, but didn't want to spend $40-$50 for one. So I made one with a feather boa. It really turned out great.

I used one of these wire wreath forms and a chocolate feather boa from Hobby Lobby.

I just cut lengths of wire and wired the feather boa to the wreath frame - put a wire about every 2" to 3" so that it stays in a nice full circle shape.

I wired all the way around the outside wire of the wreath frame, then wired all the way around the inside-middle of the wreath frame.

One feather boa was the perfect length to go around twice on the 12" wreath frame from Hobby Lobby. The frame was $1.99. The feather boa was $6.99 (I think) - and you can use a 40% off coupon on the feathers.

This only took me about 30 minutes and about $6. And it looks really good. I'm going to make a black one next.

For more great Christmas wreaths and door decor, click below to go to Red Writing's.

Shannon

Thanksgiving Table and Mantel Decorations

2009-11-23T08:30:00.001-06:00

Before my house goes fully Christmas, I wanted to show you my fall mantel and dinner table. I went with chocolate, green and silver for the most part. I love those colors together.

I love the way my mantel worked out this fall. And I would just leave it like this for Christmas, but then where would I put my stocking holders? So I might go back to this after Christmas.

I love the chocolate, green and silver in my dining room. I am planning on sticking with these colors in here for Christmas, too.

We eat in this room every day. So I just leave the table set like this all the time. The silver chargers are silverplate trays I have been picking up at Bonne Volonte over time.

I have one more of these nickel-plated candelabras that I am going to list on my website this week.

I filled my tiered tray with some gilded fruit, wood fruit and some sparkly picks.

In a couple of days I will put up another post from the Holiday Tables event I attended. Beautifully decorated tables for Christmas! So please come back soon for some wonderful ideas.

Shannon

Holiday Tables - Thanksgiving & a Christmas Sideboard

2009-11-21T10:02:00.003-06:00

Reflection of Thanks

This first table has a very traditional Thanksgiving look. I love the arrangement they made for the centerpiece - traditional Thanksgiving colors and filling the vase with nuts. It looked really pretty on the table.

This table was called "Reflection of Thanks." It was a theme of family. They had some old family photos on the wall, and some small photos in frames on the table.
And at each place setting they had used an old family photo under a glass plate. I thought this was a neat idea.

Blitz, Glitz and Fun

This next "room" was not a dinner table. They had decorated a long, narrow table that could be a sideboard or buffet, or an entry hall table. I love the way they decorated the spiral topiaries. And, of course, I love all the shine and glitter! That gold arrangement up front is just gold-glittered sticks. Easy, but so effective!

I love this old cabinet door made into a tray!
Some of my favorite Holiday Tables from this event are still to come! So check back in next week for more!

Thanks for stopping by!

Shannon

Kids Christmas Craft - Clay Pot Snowman

2009-11-20T17:28:00.003-06:00

This week of 12 Weeks of Christmas is another Christmas craft. My girls made this snowman out of clay pots when they were preschoolers. Now they are 19 and 21! And I still love putting this snowman out at Christmas!
First glue two clay pots together, one upside down on top of the other. Probably any type of glue that is permanent. Cover both pots with a "texture" paint - you can find "snow" paint or some other texture paint in the paint aisle of your craft store. After that dries, paint the whole thing white with craft paint.

For the hat, paint a smaller clay pot with the same texture paint. Then paint over that with black craft paint. For the bill of the hat I cut a circle out of poster board (use a plate as a circle pattern - you just need it to be a size that seems to fit with the sizes of clay pots you are using). Paint the poster board circle with the texture paint, then paint over that with black craft paint (both sides of the poster board circle need to be painted).

At this point you can paint holly leaves or some other decoration on the hat with craft paint.

Now glue the poster circle to the top of his head, then glue the small pot upside down onto the poster circle. (I think I used hot glue so that we didn't have to wait a long time for glue to dry.)

Because I was making this with preschool age kids, I painted circle outlines for his eyes, mouth and buttons. Then the girls filled in the circles with paint.

To make his nose, I twisted white copy paper into a cone shape and glued it together. Then the girls painted it orange. I stuffed it with tissue paper (and glued this into the inside of the cone) - this gave me a "flat" surface that I could apply glue to and then stick to his face.

Then we tied a Christmas ribbon around his neck to cover up where the two big pots meet. We glued this ribbon to him in a few places so that it would not slide off.

You could use any sizes of clay pots you want to - he could be tiny, or as big as you want him to be. For his body we used pots that are 4 1/2" tall, and for the hat we used a smaller pot that is 2 3/4" tall. So ours is about a foot tall.

He is very cute in person!

For more Christmas crafts, click below to go to Red Writing's!

Thanks for stopping by!

I am doing a little series on Holiday Tables right now, so go to my main page to find those posts.

Shannon

Holiday Tables

2009-11-12T13:57:00.008-06:00

Today I have three more tablescapes to show you from the "Holiday Tables" event I attended. The first two are autumn-inspired. The third is more Christmas-y.

Autumn Supper in the Colorado Forest

Isn't this outdoorsy tablescape fun? I like the way they mixed the stemware.

Three Generations

This table setting is so traditional and elegant. Never out of style. I love it. And the harvest topiary is nice for this time of year. It would not be very hard to make!

Toasting the Season
This next tablescape would be a great way to set up a serving table or buffet for the drinks for your party, or maybe for the dessert bar. A great floral piece on the back of the table with some glittery reindeer or some other glittery elements. And use the front half for glasses and drinks, or plates and desserts.

The way they decorated the chairs was nice - very simple to do, but it really dressed them up.
I am linking this post to today's Tablescape Thursday. If you click below you will find so many more beautiful tablescapes!
And be sure to come back early next week - I have some incredible tables to show you that are completely decked out for Christmas! Some of my favorites are still to come!

Shannon

Shopping on Black Friday

2009-11-10T12:30:00.006-06:00

There is something I just have to say on behalf of all the checkers out there in any retail store. So here goes.

Black Friday should be re-named. It should become a national holiday called "Be Kind to your Checker Day."

I work at a register at Hobby Lobby. If you are in my line on Black Friday, or any other day for that matter, you should just expect to be there for a long time. For many reasons. All of which are completely out of my control.

I cannot change the fact that Hobby Lobby does NOT (and probably will not ever) have scanners. I have to type in the price of every item from the sticker that other employees have stuck to that item.

I cannot change the fact that those stickers FALL OFF. And when they do fall off I have NO way of knowing what the price is unless it is something I have checked out a gillion times and just happen to remember. I have to call a floor person. They have to look for another of that item and hope that there is another and that it has a price sticker on it. And if there is not one with a price sticker they have to go look it up in an order BOOK. Because that is how HL functions. NO SCANNERS.

I cannot help it that a few of the customers in front of you have probably picked up an item with NO price sticker, thereby setting off this LONG chain of events.

I cannot change the fact that half of the customers in front of you will argue with me and tell me that EVERYTHING in the store is supposed to be half off. And they will not take my word for it that it is only select items. So I will have to call a manager so that they can also argue with the manager.

I cannot change the fact that there will be at least one person in front of you that will be very s - l - o - w to give me all of their items. And very s - l - o - w to get out their credit card or, worse yet, check. And even s - - l - - o - - w - - e - - r to write out their check and find their license.

And I cannot change the fact that most of those s - - l - - o - - w people are that slow because they are on their CELL PHONE and cannot stop talking long enough to pay attention and hand over their stuff and pay and get OUT of my line.

So when you finally do get to the register, slamming your stuff down and cussing at the checker and ranting about the fact that HL (or wherever you are) is THE most irritating place to shop in the whole world and that their policies and procedures are RIDICULOUS is really not going to help in the least.

You see, checkers are just the peon employees - corporate offices don't even know checkers exist. And wouldn't care if they did know. So it's not like your poor little checker can DO anything about all of those issues that you are mad about. That poor little checker is just STUCK with the system - just like you are. So yelling at the checker and making those poor little teen-age girls CRY at their registers is NOT going to solve ANYTHING!!!!

Ok, yes, I know that most of the people reading this will not be one of those irritating customers. But there is something you can do to help counter-act the effects of those people.

Be extra nice to ALL of your checkers - especially at this time of year when we all feel like this -

Ok, I'm done with my rant now. It's time to put my smile on and go stand behind my counter. Maybe I will wear armor today.

Please come back again! I promise my next post will be pretty! And I will not rant! Really!

Shannon

12 Weeks of Christmas - Shopping!

2009-11-09T20:20:00.005-06:00

There are a lot of "little traditions" that I have about Christmas shopping - one of which is always going to certain stores. One of my favorite stores to go to is called Seasonal Decorating. It is located in an old fire station. It is always decked out for whatever season we are in. But at Christmas, it is especially wonderful. Every fall when my mom and sister are here, we make certain to go to this store. Often we end up buying Christmas presents for each other here! This year was no exception. We found some wonderful things.

This tree was done in browns, coppers and silver with nature-inspired ornaments. And he used a gorgeous feather boa for a garland! I loved this tree!

Everywhere you look in this store there is something beautiful and unique to look at.

How cute are these snowmen plates?

This is the outside of his store. And trust me, when you go through the door, you enter a Christmas-wonderland.

One of my favorite things about the Christmas season is the decorations. I love to walk through stores like this and get inspiring ideas. We move every few years because my husband is in the military, and everywhere we go I love to find these little retail gems that are full of beauty and inspiration! And when I find a wonderful store like this, I make it one of my regular stops every year.

To see more Christmas shopping traditions and tips, go to Red Writing's 12 Weeks of Christmas.

Thanks for stopping by.

Come back by in a couple of days for more in my Holiday Tables series!

Shannon

Holiday Tables - A Christmas Buffet

2009-11-06T10:45:00.005-06:00

"Party On"

Yesterday I went to a local event called "Holiday Tables" that is sponsored by our Center for the Arts. Local businesses and individuals set up dinner tables, or sometimes even a room vignette, and decorate the tables for Thanksgiving or Christmas. It is a room full of wonderful ideas! It is one of my favorite events to go to! So over the next few weeks I will show you some of the tables I took pictures of. Check back every few days because I am sure that you will see something you will love - there are some very talented people out there!

This room vignette is titled "Party On." It is a splendid buffet set up for entertaining. You really need to click on the pictures to enlarge them so you can take in all the details.

I love the layering of table linens. And the variety of china and glass plates stacked for your guests to use. If you mix your plates, stemware, and even your flatware it adds so much more interest to your table.

I love the mix of cranberry and apple green stemware. And, of course, I love the silver trays they used - just the simple placement of stemware on a silver tray instead of just placing it directly on the table adds more sparkle and glitz!

And I like how they not only put some of the fruit in beautiful serving bowls, but scattered more fruit all around the table - it creates that feeling of overflowing abundance that will make your family and friends feel happy and content to be at your party.

You don't have to spend a fortune to create this look. Most of my silver has come from estate sales and thrift stores (very inexpensively). And using a lot of fresh fruits and breads in your buffet, along with a few other "fancy" foods, will not be that expensive. I think I may host a party this Christmas season and set up a buffet with a lot of fruits, cheeses, breads, and a couple of cooked holiday-ish dishes.

Do I need to even point out this silver server? Oh. I. want.

Using your dinner table as the buffet is a wonderful solution if you are having a large gathering. Just make sure that you have plenty of seating around for your guests so they have a spot to sit and eat.

And if you have a buffet in your dining room use that to serve coffee and dessert.

I like the greenery, lights and ornaments they layered across the back of the buffet.

One of my favorite parts of this "room" was what they did under the front of the table. I LOVE these deer sitting in all this Christmas greenery - deer, bows, greenery, shiny ornaments. I think I may be on the lookout for some bronze deer!

And all of this greenery over the table. Such an impact. You could create a similar feel on your chandelier. Click on the picture so you can see all the elements they used to get this full, sparkly look.

I hope you got some ideas from this vignette that you can use in your own home.

I will post another Holiday Table in a few days, so be sure to check back!

Shannon

Handmade Gifts for 12 Weeks of Christmas

2009-11-05T13:16:00.003-06:00

This week at Red Writing's is all about hand-crafted gifts for Christmas. And it's time to get busy - only 50 Days till Christmas!
This pink and green arrangement is one I put together in a vintage sugar bowl. I am about to list this arrangement on my website, so if you are interested in it, let me know.

The next arrangement is done in copper and silver - two of my favorite colors. I have this in my sitting room right now. Either of these little arrangements could be used on a dinner table, buffet, coffee table, built-ins, etc. This copper and silver arrangement is done in a silver-plate tea caddy. Anything silver catches my eye! If you haven't ever tried making your own arrangements, you should give it a try! It's very fun to do.

To see more hand-crafted Christmas, go to Red Writing's - there are some great ideas there!
I will be starting a series on Holiday Tables tomorrow. Please check back in a few times each week - I have some beautiful tables to show you - you will get some wonderful ideas!

Shannon

Decorating with Pumpkins

2009-10-30T15:18:00.003-05:00

I found these two pictures on Better Homes and Gardens. Sooo cute!
This first idea could be done with real pumpkins and fresh flowers. Or you could buy a pumpkin from the craft store and glue silk flowers onto it - then you could re-use it every year! Which is what I would do.

And this next picture is just so clever. Cinderella's coach - made out of junk and a pumpkin! How cute is that? This would be an adorable centerpiece for your dinner table.

Shannon

All About the Food - 12 Weeks of Christmas

2009-10-24T21:43:00.004-05:00

Week 4 of Red Writing's 12 Weeks of Christmas is All About the Food.

For Thanksgiving and Christmas Day we have the same menu every year. It's my favorite meal!

Turkey, Dressing, Gravy and Cranberry Sauce
Sweet Potato Casserole
Green Beans
Cranberry Freeze Salad
Chocolate Pie
Pumpkin Pie
all the traditional southern holiday foods

But sometimes I like to make a "holiday-ish" meal that we can eat any day, but that won't take two days to cook!

This recipe is for Yum-Yum Chicken. It is layered chicken, a layer of sauce and dressing on top. It is reaaally good.

Layer the chicken, then the sauce. . .

then the stove top dressing on top . . .

and bake. It is saucy and yummy! And it's a little bit of Thanksgiving that you can make any day of the week.

Yum-Yum Chicken

6-8 pcs of chicken, boiled and cut up

2 cans cream of chicken soup

16 oz. sour cream

2 boxes dry stove top stuffing mix

2 cups chicken broth

1 stick butter, melted

onion and celery, chopped and sauteed

Boil and cut up chicken. Spread in the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan. Mix 2 cans cream of chicken soup and 16 oz sour cream. Spread this on top of chicken. Pour 2 boxes of dry stove top stuffing over the sauce. Spread sauteed onion and celery over stuffing. Mix 2 cups chicken broth and 1 stick melted butter, and pour over the top of the stuffing.

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Serve with cranberry sauce.

So easy and so good.

To see more holiday food ideas, go to Red Writing's.

Shannon

Christmas Accent Craft - 12 Weeks of Christmas

2009-10-24T12:34:00.004-05:00

Red Writing's 12 Weeks of Christmas - Week 3 is a Christmas Accent Craft. I posted about this last Christmas, but it is so easy, and turns out so pretty, that I thought I would share it with you again. I am really late joining in this week - but I hope this is something you will enjoy.

If you love vintage Christmas balls and you love silver, this project is for you!

I have bought a few boxes of old glass Christmas ornaments at Goodwill and un-painted them to get this look. It's soooo easy! Hopefully in these first two pictures you can tell that some of them have an old, faded silver look. Those are the Shiny Brite or other really old ornaments. The shinier silver balls are "newer" old ornaments that the color does come off of, but the silver inside is a more solid bright silver look. I do not un-paint the balls that start out silver or gold, because a mixture of those two colors is what I am going for. I love the old, faded look. And mixing it with the shinier silver gives more dimension. So - I will buy any of the old balls - but definitely the Shiny Brites.

Just hold a ball UPSIDE DOWN under hot running water. You do not want the water to go inside the ball, because if it is one of the older balls, the hot water will wash all the silver out of the inside. After just a few seconds under the hot water, you will be able to rub off the colored paint. It usually just rubs off with your finger. Every now and then you may have to scratch at it with your fingernails. But it is really soooo quick and easy!

To see more great Christmas accent crafts, go to Red Writing's!

Shannon

Procrastinator Party - The Reveal

2009-10-19T21:24:00.008-05:00

This is my new favorite thing in our house!

But I am not sure that you will think my Procrastinator's Project was completely successful. It has some issues. And it underwent some changes-of-plans. I started out with the plan to paint and hang four different large frames in four different rooms - each with it's own design plan. Well, two of them did not work out quite like I envisioned. So I have not hung them where I had originally planned to. I have to do some more thinking about them.

BUT last Friday I just suddenly decided that I HAD to paint our bathroom so that I could do this wall with one of the large frames. I have had this plan in my mind for awhile. But my bathroom has been painted in a lovely Kilz-Primer-over-ugly-70's-blue-striped-wallpaper for a very long time. I couldn't very well hang all of this pretty stuff on that Kilz primered wallpaper! So Friday I bought paint and painted (most of) my bathroom so that I could assemble this wall. All of this came from Goodwill - I mean, Bonne Volonte - or estate or garage sales. I paid $6 for the large frame on clearance at Hobby Lobby, $1 for the round frame and $1.49 for the rectangle frame at Bonne Volonte, $1 for the pair of silhouettes, and all the necklaces were $1.49 or less at Bonne Volonte or garage sales. I did buy the hooks new at Hobby Lobby. But they were not much.

I even hung all of this by myself. (I know - So what?) But in the past I have always gotten my hubby to help if I had much to hang, especially if I had to screw something into the wall. I don't know why. But this time I hung it all, and even screwed the hooks to the wall myself. And it's all straight!

Oh, yes. I am woman! Hear me roar!

Ok, now that I have shown you the pretty part, I have to confess. I did not finish my bathroom. I could have finished the ceiling, but I ran out of steam. And I knew that I could not paint around the tub, because my hubby has to finish floating out and sanding the new sheetrock here. Soooo, this is what part of it looks like. I know. Pathetic. But now that I have gotten this far, it will inspire hubby to finish around the tub, and then I will finish the paint. AND then I will get the black toile shower curtain that I want! I will show you when all of that is finished.
So, do you see why I say that my project was not entirely successful? But I have a good start on my bathroom, which otherwise would still be really ugly all over!

The frames below are what I had planned on painting for my project. Only one is up on the wall.
But I did get these two painted - so now I just have to decide what to do with them. So, even though I did not do exactly what I had planned, I did get a good start on my bathroom. So I am still happy. And without the push from Melissa at The Inspired Room and her Procrastinator's Party, I would not have even started any of this. So, many thanks to you, Melissa!

To see more Procrastinator's Projects, go to The Inspired Room!

Shannon

Guest Post On Decorating

2009-10-19T10:58:00.005-05:00

My name is Peter. I’m a freshman in high school. I’ve been homeschooled all my life. I’m writing a guest post on my mom’s blog. I take a few classes a year in a homeschool co-op and one of them is writing composition. I have to write a ‘human interest story’ for my assignment. So I have decided to write a guest post about ways my mom likes to make her house beautiful. I figured since her blog is about decorating, I should go into decorating here.

My mom loves to decorate. Especially at Christmas time. That’s her favorite time of the year. She starts listening to Christmas music in September! Sometimes even earlier than that! There are lots of things my mom decorates with that are beautiful. Like her three-tiered tray that she sets on a small old table, which she has currently decorated for fall.
My mom loves to stain furniture to a dark brown color and she likes to put old books, keys, jewelry and so forth on the furniture. One of her oddest decorations is the feather trees that she puts around the house. My family always teases her about her weird feather trees.

My mom also loves to decorate her dress form which I call a ‘crash dummy.’ She writes posts and takes picture after picture after picture about her dress form! I just think to myself, “What is so interesting about a limbless, body-shaped crash dummy that you can put clothes on?”

She gets various ideas from decorating shows, decorating magazines, other blogs and so on for new ideas to decorate with. Some of her ideas I think are plain weird, but they always turn out good in the end. Even if I do think they’re weird.

Well, writing this post was a lot easier than I thought because I didn’t have to worry about formal writing rules, such as sentence fragments or run-on sentences. Writing conversationally is a lot easier than the paper I now have to write about blogging for my co-op teacher. Who, I might add, is a groovy teacher.

Peter

70 Days Until Christmas!

2009-10-16T09:30:00.000-05:00

bh&g

Just thought you might need a reminder.

Shannon

How to Make A Feather Wreath - Cheap!

2009-10-12T09:30:00.002-05:00

I absolutely LOVE feather wreaths. But they are really expensive! I have an adorable little red feather wreath that is usually on my wreath hanger on the mantel. But this year I was trying to decorate my fall mantel in chocolate, green and silver. So I realllly wanted a brown feather wreath. Cheap.

So I thought I would try to use a cheap feather boa from Hobby Lobby. And one of these wire wreath frames from Hobby Lobby.

I just cut lengths of wire and wired the feather boa to the wreath frame - put a wire about every 2 to 3" so that it stays in a nice full circle shape.

I wired all the way around the outside wire of the wreath frame, then wired all the way around the inside-middle of the wreath frame.

One feather boa was the perfect length to go around twice on the 12" wreath frame from Hobby Lobby. The frame was $1.99. The feather boa was $6.99 (I think) - and you could use a 40% off coupon on the feathers!

It was a little tedious. So you might not want to do this on a day that people have been getting on your last nerve like I did. But even on a day when I had used up all my patience at work, this only took me about 30 minutes.

And then I had a great, cheap, chocolate-colored feather wreath for my fall mantel. It looks great!

I'm going to make a black one sometime soon! Because every room needs a little touch of black!

Shannon

Christmas Memories and Traditions

2009-10-11T12:04:00.009-05:00

Here we are in Week Two of Red Writing's 12 Weeks of Christmas - Christmas Memories and Traditions!

I think one of my favorite traditions, with lots of memories, is our tree decorating party. All of my growing up years, my parents and my sister and I would go out one night to several Christmas tree lots to find our tree. Then a day or two later we had our tree-decorating party. We always had some food and Christmas music to go along with the evening. My dad always put the lights on the tree first, then we would all decorate it together. My mom always made this night feel like such a big deal for all of us.

So when my husband and I got married, I carried on this tradition.

Every year my husband and I and all three kids go shopping for our main tree together. (This is for our main, real tree - I do put up other trees around the house.) And the night we decorate it, we have an assortment of party foods. This is not hard - I buy things from Sams or Costco like those little frozen quiches, taquitos, deli spiral roll-ups, etc. I try to get 3-5 different non-sweet finger foods. And I get 1-2 sweet items that are ready to go. I do make a batch of fudge. Because fudge is required for your tree-decorating party! I put all these finger foods out on the coffee table on pretty Christmas platters. And we have Christmas music playing.

My hubby puts the lights on the tree. I put the beads or garland, with one of my daughters helping. Then hubby and I watch the kids put on all the decorations. Then we all just sit and eat and look at the pretty tree and talk. It's just always a perfect night.

Every year since they were born we have let the kids pick out at least one new ornament to buy. They range from Disney characters, to sports-themed, to traditional, to really pretty blown-glass. It's fun to see all of their interests over the years displayed in their choices. We have marked all of their ornaments with their initials and the year they purchased them. When they move out, they can take all their ornaments with them for their trees.

It is really fun to watch them sorting through all the ornaments so that each child ends up with a pile of their own ornaments to hang on the tree. They have sooo much fun looking for all of their ornaments from over the years - I highly recommend this tradition! Your kids will love it!

Ok, thinking about that night really puts me in the Christmas mood! I'm ready to start decorating! Aren't you?

Shannon

For more Christmas Memories and Traditions, go to Red Writing's -

Dear Santa, Here's My Christmas Wish List

2009-10-08T11:01:00.012-05:00

Dear Santa,

Hope your year has been a great one! I have been counting down till Christmas since December 26th of last year. So I am reallllly excited that we are finally getting close. You know, I think my dream job would be to work for you! Creating new things every year for all the people who love Christmas as much as we do! If you ever have an opening in your "Dream It, Create It" department, please let me know!

Well, here is my wish list for this year. I don't want all of this (well, I do, but...). I am just giving you quite a few options to choose from, so you can surprise me!

some silver trappings for my house (duh!) - I love old sugar & creamer sets, salt & pepper shakers, tea pots, butter dishes, serving pieces, elaborate candelabras, etc.
vintage, sparkly, rhinestone jewelry
vintage pearl jewelry
heads to add to my collection of ladies and gentlemen
a beautiful, old chandelier dripping in crystals for my dining room
and I always love to get new Christmas decorations!
a new cell phone - WITH internet access - I want one with a full keyboard, and probably a touch screen - you see, I want to be able to post to my blog and twitter and facebook from my phone AND be able to read all the blogs I follow from my phone - I really need the internet access!
and while you are at the Verizon store, could you get me a Verizon wireless card for my laptop so I can get internet access on my laptop from ANYWHERE
a vintage dress form with the wire cage at the bottom so Francesca has a friend

I can't wait till I can start actually decorating for Christmas! It must be wonderful to live at the North Pole and be able to keep your Christmas decorations up all year round! And have a fire always going in the fireplace. Hot chocolate or Starbucks Peppermint Mocha every night. Christmas cookies every day. Oh, really Santa, if you need some help, please call me!

Red Writing had a great idea to help us keep in touch with you better - you should get Mrs. Claus to set you up a Facebook page!

I can't wait till you stop by! I will leave some milk and fudge out for you!

Much love,

Shannon

For more Christmas lists, be sure to follow Red Writing's 12 Weeks of Christmas!

A Procrastinator's Party!

2009-10-05T20:27:00.005-05:00

Melissa at The Inspired Room is having her second Procrastinator's Party! Just in time to get some of those projects done before the holidays get here!

The project I am proclaiming is the frames below. I have four large frames in my garage that I have had for a couple of months now. I want to paint them - three black, one possibly creamy white.

I have plans for them all - four different rooms, different uses in each room. None of them are for framing a picture! Now that it is cooler outside, I think I can stand to go outside to spray paint. Until now it's been so dang hot I wasn't about to go outside to paint!!! No way!

I bought them for $6 to $8 each on clearance at Hobby Lobby.

I think I will need my boots when I paint because in Kansas the wind is allllwaaaaays blowing. Here is my tip of the day for you - if you don't want your shoes to also be spray painted, you, too, can wear boots just like mine!

I started to choose my bathroom for this project, which is STILL painted in Kilz-primer-over-ugly-wallpaper. But I was afraid I wouldn't get it done. I'm still thinking about trying to do it, too. But I don't know. Uuuuhhh. Pathetic. Well, if I do it, you can be sure I will show it at the reveal in two weeks, too.

Go to The Inspired Room to see more before photos - and then come back in two weeks for everyone's after photos! I can't wait to see what you do, too! I need some more inspiration from you!

Shannon

An All Natural Christmas

2009-10-01T09:10:00.001-05:00

I just bought the Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest Publication called Christmas Ideas. It has a lot of great stuff in it. But these pages just took my breath away!

Natural materials are added to the home's regular decor. The collections of old books and creamware on the mantel take on a whole new level with all of the nature-y items added. Lots of pinecones and feathers in the "wreath" above the mantel, and on the garland that is hanging from the mantel. I LOVE that garland!!! Little pinecone topiary trees, pomander balls, rust colored bows, a sprinkling of snow.

I think this might be my ALL-TIME favorite mantel. It. is. PERFECT! (Well, minus the deer head.)

I am thinking about doing my fall mantel similar to this. Then I can do a little changing around after Thanksgiving - like adding my stocking holders (which are cast iron fleur de lis shapes - so they would go great with this look) and stockings. Then I can have this look from now through the end of the year!

These pictures came from the magazine shown below. It's got some other good stuff in it, too.

I can't find my box of fall decorations. I think it is buried way, way back behind all my Christmas boxes. I think today I will have to empty that storage closet and unearth my fall and Christmas greenery. I will show you my mantel when I get it done. Soon. Not today. I don't know when. But soon.

Shannon

More Fall Porch Decorating

2009-09-28T16:56:00.003-05:00

bh&g

I love the pumpkins and mums on the porch above. So easy, but so pretty. You could do this in an afternoon. Most grocery stores have mums already in a decorative pot - just purchase and place! And they have their pumpkins now, too.

And if you are a little more ambitious, how about scooping out your pumpkin and using it as the planter for your mums! This is so cute on the stone ledge. It would be cute along a deck railing or on your patio table, too.

bh&g

Or add some ornamental kale to the mix!

bh&g

Ok, so my front porch doesn't look as good as the inspirational pictures above.

Remember this little boxwood I planted for my front porch re-do in the summer? It was supposed to turn into this . . . Well, now it looks like this. Yeah, I killed it. So you see why I needed the inspirational pictures from Better Homes and Gardens.

Shannon

Fall Porch Decorating

2009-09-17T15:29:00.002-05:00

bh&g

I am hoping this weekend to do a little fall spruce-up of my front porch. I love the urn above - just get a big pumpkin from the grocery store and stick some fall foliage around it - either real from your trees, or silk from your Hobby Lobby.

And I love the chair below - a tumble of pumpkins and gourds. Doesn't that look great? The pumpkins stacked in the urn are cute, too. Or you could stack pumpkins in a bird bath. bh&g

I am so glad fall is finally here. Fall and winter are my favorite seasons!

Shannon

100 Days Till Christmas!

2009-09-16T09:30:00.000-05:00

Just a few pictures to get you in the mood!

Go to www.bhg.com and sign up for their 100 Days of Holidays newsletter. It starts in about a week. Every day for the 100 days from now through New Years they will email you a link to slide shows and other great inspiration on their site.

Let the countdown begin!

Shannon

O Christmas Tree by Mary Carol Garrity

2009-08-26T18:02:00.005-05:00

Mary Carol Garrity's newest book is out - I pre-ordered a copy, and it came today! I have quickly flipped through the whole book, and it. is. DIVINE! Here are just a few pictures that I took of some of the pages that jumped out at me.

This is her front porch. Do you know how much I wish mine looked like this? And how much would you like to entertain your guests in a spot as beautiful as this? And serve your guests from this beautiful table. I love this arrangement using fruit, berries, pinecones and a little bit of greenery. It is so simple and so elegant. I am going to copy this for my dinner table!This garland of Christmas greenery is a simple way to bring some Christmas into your bedroom, and still have that restful, peaceful atmosphere that is so nice in a master suite. I am about to sit down with this book and a Vanilla Coke Zero and read every page and study every picture! I think I'm in heaven!

Quick note to my family: if you have any needs tonight, such as food or laundry or homework help, well, I'm sorry. My evening is fully committed. To this book. See ya tomorrow.

If you do not have your copy of this book yet, run, don't walk, to your nearest bookstore! You NEED this book. Your life will not be complete without this book! Oh, no, it won't!

Shannon

Christmas Decorations for Your Outdoor Lights

2009-08-07T15:41:00.002-05:00

What??? You think it's too early for this???
No, No, No!!! See my sidebar? It's only 140 DAYS until Christmas! Do you know how fast that is gonna be here?!?!?!

I know this is not a good picture, but I took this on my cell phone at the Dallas Gift Market. It's the best my cell phone can do, lemme tell ya.

But isn't this cute? I have really ugly sconces on the front of my house, but I think if I spray paint them black and decorate them like this they will look great at Christmas. All they used here is a couple of silk hydrangeas, a silk rose, a couple of stems of silk eucalyptus leaves, a few stems of Christmas greenery going up, and a very simple thin Christmas garland hanging down. That long leather strip with bells on it was trailing along that wall to some other items. But you could get one of those short leather strips with bells on it that Hobby Lobby has every Christmas in the outdoor Christmas decor section, and just hang it from the floral arrangement. Or do something similar that you make, use a pretty Christmas ribbon, etc. Lots of options here. Just wire all this together, then wire it to your sconce.

This would not be expensive because it does not require that many pieces. Buy all the floral pieces at Hobby Lobby when they are half off. And use a 40% off coupon for any other items that you might want to add. Buy it now, during August, before you start in on a lot of other Christmas expenses. It is my plan to make a few purchases on every paycheck between now and Christmas so I can spread out the cost. A few gifts here and there, a few new decorations here and there. Then November and December won't be such a killer when it comes to expenses.

And we only have 140 days, people! Better get crackin'.

Shannon

Where Bloggers Create

2009-07-23T20:45:00.002-05:00

What a fun blog party! "Where Bloggers Create" is being hosted by Karen at My Desert Cottage. My studio is a work in progress. I can see the finished product in my mind. But I think I am only about half way there. So here it is in its current state.

Francesca lives in my studio. You will usually find her here by the window. This little white table is where I use my Cricut machine for scrapbooking.

I like the way this wall is coming along. As I run across new estate sale finds, this will probably change and grow.

I got these four 12x12 frames at Hobby Lobby. I put a 12x12 sheet of corkboard into each frame, covered by scrapbook paper. I have put photos, embellishments and some vintage jewelry on these - one for me and hubby, and one for each of my kids. I love having these right by my table when I am working in my studio.

A great chandelier that my mom gave me for my birthday!

My husband put adjustable shelves in the closet for me. Lots of storage for my scrapbooking supplies, jewelry making supplies and other crafting needs.

These bookshelves hold our homeschooling books, as well as my crafting books, catalogs, etc. My husband made these. We still need to screw them together at the top and then add molding strips on the fronts and crown molding around the top. When that is done it will have the look of a built-in unit. I will show that to you whenever we get around to it.

Any time I can use something silver and pretty to serve a practical purpose, I do. One of my favorite items is this wonderful silver twine holder.

To see more studios where bloggers create, go to My Desert Cottage by clicking below.
Thanks so much for stopping by! Now I am on my way to make the rounds. I can't wait to see your studios and get some great ideas!

Shannon

A Cuttlebug Giveaway at Melissa's!

2009-07-12T16:50:00.002-05:00

This is a giveaway you might want to know about!
How fun would this be to win? Click on the Cuttlebug to go to Melissa's at Creating From the Heart.

Shannon

What Was Your Biggest Library Fine?

2009-07-11T01:18:00.002-05:00

Ummm. $37.00. Yeah. I could have bought two more of her books.

Shannon

2009-07-04T06:00:00.001-05:00

Happy 4th of July!

Hope y'all have a wonderful Fourth! I am so thankful to the Lord for this great country.

(Just so you can be suitably impressed - I made that flag. Yes, I did. I think it is the only thing I have ever sewed. Or ever will sew. I don't even sew buttons back on. No.)

Shannon

2009-07-03T09:30:00.001-05:00

So What's Your Vote?

Above is my Francesca. Sweet, elegant and beautiful.

Below is Super Hero Girl. I saw her at the gift market in Dallas. She is, ummm, well just different. Francesca wondered if she should update her image. I told her I thought she was just perfect the way she was. But Francesca wondered what your opinion was. What should I tell her?

Shannon

2009-07-02T20:13:00.003-05:00

Now That's a Cake Dome!

I just got home from Dallas. My mom and I were at the gift market at the World Trade Center. This massive cake dome is one of the things I ordered for my store. I am working right now on getting things ready for a grand opening soon!

I can't wait to get this cake dome. Just imagine the possibilities!

Shannon

2009-06-26T10:00:00.001-05:00

Got a Few Old Clock Faces?

photo: BH&G

Hang them from various lengths of chain for some very unique wall art. You could also use long vintage necklaces or strings of fake pearls! You can get old costume jewelry cheap at Goodwill, I mean Bonne Volonte.

I love the way this looks. I am going to be on the prowl for some old junk clocks that I can tear apart!

Shannon

2009-06-25T11:35:00.003-05:00

A Fun Photo Display

I found this picture on Better Homes and Gardens. They slid a small glass container inside a larger container - you can use cheap floral vases for this. I have seen containers similar to these at Hobby Lobby and Michael's. You might be able to find something at the Dollar Store!

Slide some of your favorite photos in between the two vases. You could use a little piece of scrapbook adhesive on the back of the photos to hold them in place.

Wouldn't this be cute on your craft table for your paint brushes, pens and pencils, or for your crafting tools?

This would make a great (and cheap!) gift, too!

Shannon

2009-06-08T09:28:00.002-05:00

200 Days Until Christmas!

Just thought you might want to know!

By the way, Christmas stuff is out in Hobby Lobby! Oh, yes, it is. And every day people are buying some. Oh, yes, they are.

Shannon

2009-06-03T10:00:00.000-05:00

The Colony Hotel

in Kennebunkport, Maine

This incredible hotel was built in 1914. The atmosphere here is unbelievable. Have you ever seen the movie "Somewhere in Time" - you know the atmosphere that hotel had? The Colony Hotel has that same atmosphere! You can feel it the second you step onto the property! It just cannot be described!

Isn't it incredible?

Here is hubby sitting on one of the porches.

And here was another fun moment in Kennebunkport. President George Bush (the dad) has a summer home here. Actually, he has a peninsula. This whole little peninsula is gated off. There are three houses for secret service, and one long ranch-type house, and then this huge house is where the Bushes live. Very pretty!!

Right as we pulled up to look at it, President Bush came down to the water to get in his boat. The black boat is the secret service boat that went with him.

He is the one in this next boat with the baseball cap on. That was really fun to see him! We drove up at just the right time!

I will show you the things I bought next. Some new items and some items from a flea market we found. I had to control myself, though, because we were flying home, and only had one suitcase to check. Oh, how I was wishing for my Suburban!

Shannon

2009-06-02T10:00:00.000-05:00

Kennebunkport, Maine

The town of Kennebunkport is beautiful! The houses are huge! And the architecture there is so pretty. I could just move right in to almost any house there.

See what I mean? Beautiful!

Come back tomorrow and I will show you the best seaside inn - huge, historical, right on the coast, gorgeous!

Shannon

2009-06-01T19:36:00.002-05:00

The Coast of Maine

My hubby and I went to Maine last week. We had never been in that part of the country before. The above picture is the house in Portland that Henry Wadsworth Longfellow grew up in. He wrote a lot of wonderful poetry - my favorite is "The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere."Our first morning there we went out on a tour boat and saw a lot of adorable little coastal communities, and quite a few lighthouses. It was well-worth the time to go out on that boat because we saw places we would not have been able to see otherwise. Beautiful architecture up there!

Below is Portland Head Light.

After a day in Portland, we spent the next two days in Kennebunkport. It is an incredibly beautiful little coastal town.

I will post a few pictures of Kennebunkport tomorrow. If you are ever going to go to Maine, Kennebunkport is the place to go!!

Shannon

2009-05-24T10:00:00.000-05:00

Vintage Drawer Pulls

I found this picture on the BHG website this week. I love the look of these old handles hanging together. You could hang several in your office or studio and use those little clips on them to hold little reminders, business cards, inspirational photos, etc.

You could hang a few in your bathroom or close to your dresser to hold jewelry. That would be so cute!

A little row of these in the kitchen could hold kids sports schedules, recipes, meal plans, photos of your kids, keys, etc.

I think I will be on the lookout for a handful of vintage knobs and handles. I just love this look!

Shannon

2009-05-21T10:36:00.005-05:00

Ridding the World of

Ugly Light Fixtures

One Chandelier at a Time

Isn't this the cutest chandelier you have ever seen? My mom gave it to me for my birthday. And my husband hung it yesterday in my studio. It's wonderful!

Do you want to see the light that was in there before? Warning: it's reeaaally ugly!

Yeah, told you. Uuuug-ly. Why did they ever make those things???

Now, back to the pretty! It kind of looks like a crown upside down.

Don't you just love it? (By the way - they are on clearance at Lowe's right now!!)

Shannon

2009-05-13T13:51:00.007-05:00

Part-Time Perfectionist

This is my after of my front porch re-do. Melissa at The Inspired Room is hosting a Project Procrastinators Party. So we have had two weeks to complete the painting project that we had been procrastinating on. I chose my two outdoor benches. And along with painting this bench on my front porch, I decided since my front porch was insanely ugly, I should try to give it some help.

So - freshly painted bench, new pots with LIVE plants in them, and a new door mat.

I am a perfectionist about some things. It irks me when people do a sloppy job when it would not have taken that much effort to do it right. But, well, there are some things that I am not a perfectionist about. So I guess I am a part-time perfectionist. Apparently, painting the back of benches carefully falls under the second category. If you go here, you will see the trials that beset me in this process. I had actually hoped to paint my front door black before this "After Party," but, alas, I am too pathetically opposed to sweating that much within a two-week time frame. So when I do get around to applying black paint to the front door (and changing hideous brass kick-plates to silver!) I will show you more pictures.

I love this square planter by the front door. I planted a boxwood in it that had a tag that says "Ideal for Topiaries." I am totally in love with all shapes and sizes of topiaries. I do not currently have any, mainly because I am opposed to yard work and to sweating, both of which are required to grow and sculpt a topiary. I also happen to have a black thumb. But I did buy this little boxwood, in the hope that I can overcome, and the little boxwood will overcome and will grow in wisdom and stature, and become this . . . Beautiful, huh? I loooove topiaries!

And I got rid of the, umm, lovely mat that came with our front door, and bought this one. I love it!

I did show two outdoor benches in my before photos, with the plan to paint them both. The other one is on my back deck. Yeah. Ummm. Yeah. (If you really want to know, you can read "What was I thinking?" two posts down.)

So, here is a reminder of the Before:

And the After:

It's not the wrap-around porch with wicker furniture and plush cushions of my dreams. But at least it is a little more welcoming than it was.

Black front door coming soon. And since that will require more outdoor labor and sweating, you better come back and see it!

Shannon

2009-05-08T14:53:00.002-05:00

Bench? What bench?

Shannon

2009-05-06T15:08:00.004-05:00

What was I THINKING ???

Now I remember all the reasons WHY I hate painting. But the hope of a welcoming front porch, and the temporary insanity, umm, I mean enthusiasm that I felt when I read about Melissa's Project Procrastinator's Party caused me to have a misplaced sense of confidence.

When I got home about 12:30 today the sun was out for the first time in 1 1/2 weeks. So I thought I better take advantage of no rain while it lasted.

I forgot that I hate to tape things off, and I bought two colors of paint for my benches. I had the grand plan of spraying the metal black, and painting the wood parts with a different color. By the time I got around to the back with the tape, I decided I could just paint over any black that got onto the wood. By now I was too HOT to care all that much about a little over-spray. Ok, good, so no more taping! I mean, it's the back, right? (I should have just spray painted the whole stupid bench the same color!) Because I read your blogs, I had in my mind a story I recently read (can't remember where now) about one of you that used this Rustoleum outdoor metal spray paint - and how sticky it was on your bare feet. And how long you had to scrub to get it off.

So here is my solution to that. You can stop laughing now.

Well, the black is done. By the time I was done, I was so HOT I thought I might just expire right there. I mean, it IS 75 degrees outside today! AND I have a migraine! I have now taken a very long, VERY cool shower, and I have the air conditioning turned down to 65, and my ceiling fan on high. And a cold Vanilla Coke Zero. I am recovering from the heat stroke I had. And I have taken ibuprofen.

If you are really lucky, I might go back out there and paint the wood part of that bench with the nutmeg color I bought in time for the "After Party" on May 14.

But there is no stinkin' way that I am going to paint that second bench! It's just gonna have to rot where it is.

Shannon

2009-05-03T09:30:00.001-05:00

Porch Pots and Paint

I have purchased the paint and pots and plants for my porch re-do for Melissa's Procrastinators Project Party. Can you say Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers?
And if it EVER stops raining here I might actually USE this paint on my project!

Since I can't paint, I will just have to go eat some chocolate chip muffins. Don't you just hate it when that happens?

Shannon

2009-05-02T18:31:00.002-05:00

Talking Trash...I Drew Your Name

I drew Debbie's name of Talking Trash for my 100th post give-away. I will email you, Debbie. Thanks to all who played along!

I have started on my procrastination project - Melissa at The Inspired Room is hosting this party. I will show you pictures of my progress next, so check back soon.

Shannon

2009-04-29T17:27:00.003-05:00

Project Procrastinators: UNITE!

Melissa at The Inspired Room is hosting this Project Procrastinators: UNITE! party. I'm glad for the push it gave me. I have soooo many un-done paint projects - and some of them are desperate cases, let me tell you!

I am posting pictures of my two outdoor benches. They are the smallest of the desperate cases. (Yes, I know. My whole front porch is one big desperate case. It just can't get any more ugly or depressing than this. But if you will come back for the conclusion of this party on May 14, I promise the whole front porch will look a whoooole lot better!) I seriously considered posting pictures of my bathroom, which is currently painted in a lovely shade of Kilz-primer-over-70's-blue-floral-striped-wallpaper. Or my laundry room, which is a shade of builder-white-with-absolutely-no-charm---waiting-for-its-spring-green-makeover. Or my son's room, which is an equally boring shade of builder's-choice.

But - confession time, here - I was afraid that if I posted a whole-room project, that I would be the pathetic one at the conclusion of this project party that had absolutely nothing to show. Now -- if I do have an uncharacteristic burst of painting energy and paint one of those rooms, I will most definitely show it to you!

But, to play it safe, I have decided to go with my two outdoor benches. Surely, surely, in two weeks time, I can muster up enough time and energy to spray paint two ugly benches.

This one is on the back deck. To see more "before" pictures of other blogger's painting projects, go to The Inspired Room. Then come back on May 14 for the "after" pictures!

Shannon

2009-04-29T09:30:00.001-05:00

My 100th Post

Give-Away!

Thank you all so much for making blogging so much fun! I appreciate every single person who ever reads my blog. And I love getting your comments! And I love reading YOUR blogs and getting so many wonderful ideas and great inspiration from you!

So - going with blogging custom - here is my 100th post give-away - some silver trappings from my home to yours, along with a few other things that caught my eye.

a vintage silver bowl, a couple of blue and cream luggage tags, another little vintage silver bowl, a blingy frame (because I love anything sparkly),

a fleur de lis (you can leave it on the black cord and wear it as a necklace, or take it off and add it to a tassel or tie it to a lamp or hang it from a drawer knob with a pretty ribbon, or whatever else you can think of),

a vintage silver necklace with blue beads,

and a jar full of vintage beads, baubles and trims for your crafting needs.

Ok - time to leave your comment! I will draw a name tomorrow night.

Shannon

2009-04-28T12:59:00.003-05:00

Flea Market Friends in Need of a Makeover

Ok, these flea market finds are in OBVIOUS need of a makeover! (Oh, are you laughing at me for buying these?!? Just wait! They have potential!)

I am planning on painting over all of the orangy color with black. And his instrument will probably be a dark brown. The tree obviously needs help, too. But I might leave him as-is.

These two ladies need a makeover, too. I thought about painting them a solid creamy color. Or solid black. Just to have the effect of a silhouette.
What do you think? What would you do with these pieces? I'd love to hear your ideas.

(Tomorrow I am posting my 100th post! I will show you the collection of items you can win in my give-away. Remember - every comment between now and my drawing gives you another chance to win.)

Shannon

2009-04-20T16:26:00.003-05:00

Flea Market Finds

This weekend I went to a few estate sales and a flea market. I only came away with a few things. I found these old pocket watch parts. I am going to use these to make something. I don't know what yet. I've seen a few pictures of ways creative people have used old watch parts. Of course, I can't remember any of them right now. Hopefully, some creative idea will emerge from the fog in my brain. Got any great ideas?

I love the look of old creamware and silver together. I already collect old silver and silverplate, but I had never bought any old creamware before this weekend. I found a couple of pieces to get me started. I'm sure my husband will just be thrilled when he begins to realize that a new collection has taken root in our house.

And I just liked the brown transferware plate. The little ceramic lady is something I can add to my "collection of heads and bodies" that my kids are so fond of.

I can't believe I have let a week go by without posting. I've just been so busy.

This is my 98th post. Remember, every comment you leave between now and 100 will give you another chance at winning my GIVE-AWAY. I'm still collecting things to add to it! I will show you everything in my 100th post.

Shannon

2009-04-10T19:58:00.002-05:00

Spring Centerpiece

These eggs are paper mache eggs from Hobby Lobby. I decoupaged them with some old book pages, old music pages and some scrapbook paper. They are nestled among some Hobby Lobby carnations in a silver bowl, and I set the bowl on a gold charger (also Hobby Lobby - of course!) Very simple, but I really like it.

I am going to include some of these eggs in my 100th-post give-away. This post is 97. So keep checking in! Every comment between now and then gives you another chance!

Shannon

2009-04-08T10:58:00.002-05:00

Give-Away Coming!

This is my 96th post, so you know what that means! Above is a little preview. More to come.

Every comment you leave between now and then gives you another chance!

Thanks for visiting and being a part of the friends I have that live in my computer!

Shannon

2009-03-27T12:29:00.002-05:00

Blizzard Warnings

We are under blizzard warnings today and tomorrow. So I am getting one last chance for a cozy day at home in front of the fire. After I finish our homeschooling day, I think I am going to polish silver. I just got the best silver polish - MAAS. It really is as good as they claim. I am going to carry this in my store. Everyone should have this product in their home!

Hope you are enjoying your spring or winter day, whichever one you happen to be having!

Shannon

2009-03-26T09:30:00.001-05:00

Spring Centerpiece

I am not real big on decorating with bunnies and eggs for spring and Easter. Mainly because it just doesn't really go with my decor.

But I really like these two egg centerpieces that I found on the Better Homes and Gardens website. I love the compote above. So simple. Lettuce or cabbage leaves, and white and brown eggs. Wouldn't that be pretty on the breakfast table? Or how about for your Easter lunch?

And the centerpiece below could be done with whatever color combination would work with your kitchen or dining room. What about white carnations and brown eggs? Green carnations and white eggs? White carnations and blue eggs? Pink carnations and different colors of pastel eggs? The possibilities are endless.

Both of these centerpieces could be done with real, hard-boiled eggs. But if you don't want to be constantly popping your centerpiece into the fridge for a cool-down, go to Hobby Lobby. In the craft section you can buy brown and white bisque eggs. They really do look real. Leave them in their natural colors, or paint with watercolors to get that look of dyed Easter eggs.

While you are in Hobby Lobby, grab some carnations in your color preference. Voila. Maintenance-free materials for your spring centerpiece.

I think I will shop while I am at work tomorrow!

Shannon

2009-03-15T22:56:00.003-05:00

My Favorite Piece of Furniture

My parents ran across three of these old church kneelers at an auction many years ago. Thankfully, they won all three of them. So now my mom, my sister and I all have one.
It's my favorite piece of furniture I have. Ever since they found these, I have watched for other similar pieces. I haven't ever seen another. Maybe someday I will run across some other kneelers. It would be fun to buy a few more so I could give some to my kids.

We are on spring break this week, and have a lot going on, including my nephew's wedding. So if I don't post, or get around to see you this week, I will be back next week.

This post is my 93rd! So you know what that means! Please be watching. Give-away coming!

Shannon

2009-03-09T11:45:00.002-05:00

Advice Needed, Please!

I am trying to decide on a "motto" for a new business I am in the process of setting up. I created a little voting poll. I tried to put it inside this post, but that would not work. I have no idea why. I was able to finally get it installed over there --------> on my sidebar.

I hope it actually works and lets you vote. Please remember that I am the one who created this. Since I am so highly proficient in technical computer skills, there is a slight possibility that it will not actually work. Or maybe you cannot even SEE it. I can see it. Can you????

Please vote!!!

And if you have some other ideas for a motto, please feel free to leave a comment on this post!

Thank you so much!!!

Shannon

2009-03-07T22:51:00.003-06:00

They are just gonna have to

without me

Because I can't figure it out.

I wasted half an evening recently trying.

I read an article about how big twittering has become. It said that our Congressmen are regularly seen twittering on their blackberrys. While they are in session. Huh? Aren't they supposed to be paying attention to the matters at hand?

This article said that EVERYONE is twittering.

So, for a short moment in time, I panicked. I thought I must learn how to take part in this new venue. I didn't want to get left behind. I needed to twitter. I discovered that you have to follow people to see what they are saying.

But who in the world would I follow? And who in the world would follow me? I can post a bunch of short little snippets of my day. But who cares?

I would be posting little comments. On an empty page. Somewhere. Out there. It would float around out there somewhere in the space that is called "online." No one would see it.

And I couldn't figure out how I would find someone to follow their comments. Who in the world would it be?

So, I decided that I did not have the time to learn a whole new online activity. I have learned how to blog, and I love keeping up with all my new blog friends. And that takes a lot of time.

I'm just not smart enough to learn how to twitter. I mean, it wasn't that long ago that I could not even initiate an email. I could reply to an email, but not compose and send. So, you see, I have come far!

I can blog. I can connect with you here.

But not on twitter. I just wouldn't know how to find you out there.

Apparently the whole world is on twitter. And they Stumble things. I don't know what that is. But I can't do that either.

So they are just gonna have to twitter without me. And Stumble without me.

Shannon

2009-03-06T18:47:00.003-06:00

A Huge Thank You to

Flea Market Studio

Lilia at Flea Market Studio drew my name for her give-away, and I got a wonderful package in the mail from her today! The photo above shows it before I unwrapped it. She had made such a cute tag for the package! And there was SO much inside!

Inside were four packets. One was labelled Vintage Ephemera Pack. One was Red Border Labels.
The third was a Lady Cupid Kit, and the fourth was an Easter Kit. They were all so cute!

The tag below was the label for the Easter kit. It's really cute.

And all this stuff below was in that Easter kit - ribbons, laces, papers, picks, flowers, sparklies, and the tiniest little doves and eggs! So many cute things for some spring craft projects!

Next, I opened the Lady Cupid kit. All of these items, plus the instructions to complete this heart hanger, were in the kit. It will be so fun to make!

Then I opened the Vintage Ephemera Kit. It was full of the most wonderful papers - old sheet music, old book pages, vintage wallpapers, bingo cards, some lace and doilies, and several old photographs. I love old papers! It will be so fun to use these bits and pieces!

The fourth packet had these red-bordered labels. When I was a kid, this is what all labels looked like! Just think of all the thousands of labels and stickers we have now.

I will find some great uses for these vintage labels in my studio.

Thank you so much, Lilia. This was such a fun package to open! I really appreciate it! Can't wait to make some things with it all!

Shannon

2009-03-05T10:00:00.002-06:00

Cheap Curtains

When we moved into this house, I did not have a lot of money to spend on new decor. The black metal curtain rod and the black metal tie-backs were already on the sliding door. I did not like the curtains that the previous homeowners had up, so I got rid of them, but kept the hardware.
I bought two of the crinkly camel-colored panels, and two of the wine-colored beaded valances at Lowe's. Both the panels and the valances have a pocket to slide onto a rod, but I used ring clips to catch the top of both fabrics because I wanted to be able to easily slide them open and closed.

Sometime later I ran across the strings of beads. I just draped them around the ring clips. It adds a little more sparkle and interest to some otherwise plain window treatments.
And at Christmas (a year ago) I bought two tassels in the Christmas ornaments at Hobby Lobby for half off. I think I paid about $2 for each tassel. They added just a little more interest.

It was all cheap. And I have been happy with the results.

I have some windows in my house that are in desperate need of some interest and sparkle. I think my studio might be next. After all, that is Francesca's room. I just know that she would like pretty window treatments!

Shannon

2009-02-28T10:56:00.004-06:00

Take your husband shopping at Home Depot!

Men love this store. What's more important - they love buying things at this store!

We went in yesterday to pick up some FREE little paint chips, so we could decide on a color to paint our bathroom.

We came out with two WONDERFUL chandeliers for our kitchen. The one above is hanging over the main working area of the kitchen. LOVE it!

The beaded chandelier below is hanging over my kitchen table. LOVE it!

What's important to remember here - if I had gone in by myself, I would have looked at these wonderful lights. But I would have drooled, and then left with my free little paint chips.

But with hubby with me, and both of us drooling (ok, maybe he didn't drool, but he did like them), we left with our free little paint chips AND our wonderful chandeliers!

Warning: if you are offended by ugly light fixtures, please do not scroll down any further!

Because the next photo is a picture of the light fixtures that were in our kitchen when we bought this house.

And they are BAD!

The WORST ever made!

Really!

So, look at your own risk.

See? I told you! Scroll back up and look at the new ones again. I don't want you to leave my blog while you are gagging. I want you to come back!

Please. Scroll back up!

Shannon

2009-02-26T11:12:00.003-06:00

Buy It By The Box

The first day I stopped at this estate sale, I looked, I wanted, I did not buy. At 10 p.m. that night I had non-buyer's remorse. So what's a girl to do?
Be at their door at 8 a.m. the following morning, of course. Thankfully I didn't have to be at work until 9 a.m.

So, you know what I will be washing tomorrow.

Shannon

2009-02-20T16:27:00.002-06:00

Another Thank You . . .

This time to The Lettered Cottage

Wow, when it rains, it pours. I got another fun package in the mail this week. Layla of The Lettered Cottage drew names for five different craft magazines. And I was lucky enough to be one of the names she drew! She sent me this wonderful volume of Card Creations. It has some beautiful projects in it!

Thank you so much, Layla! I really appreciate it!

If you are not familiar with her blog, please go by today! She always posts beautiful pictures. And her ongoing re-do of her house is gorgeous!

Shannon

2009-02-18T20:15:00.002-06:00

Thanks to

everything vintage

I got a wonderful surprise in the mail today! Jodie at everything vintage recently had a give-away on her blog. And she sent everyone who entered a special little gift! She made this beautiful bookmark. The tag has a floral side (above), and this great vintage ad on the other side (below).

Isn't it fun?

Thanks so much, Jodie. I love it!

Shannon

2009-02-13T00:23:00.006-06:00

Blog Party of the Year

at Talking Trash

Today is the 100th-post blog party at Talking Trash! The blog event of the year! You don't want to miss it. All the debutantes will be there!

Francesca is dressed in her best black velvet. And, of course, she is wearing her favorite jewelry from Bonne Volonte.

She is carrying her silver purse, also from designer Bonne Volonte.
She will be wearing her fur coat, anticipating a slight chill in the air this evening.

Francesca wanted to curl her hair, and pin it up for the evening. But she was unable to do so--since she has no head (as my son REGULARLY points out to me).

Soooo, she decided that she would choose a date that has awesome, wanna-run-your-fingers-through-it hair.

So, for your enjoyment, meet Francesca's date - - Josh Groban! (Yes, she's one lucky girl!)

To meet the other debutantes at this Event of the Year, please stop by Talking Trash!

Thanks for the visit

Shannon

2009-02-12T11:15:00.006-06:00

Hicksville, USA

What!!! My glasses just broke! I don't have a back-up pair! I can't see without them! I do not have time for this today. I have a lot of school work to get done with my son, and I have to leave at 2:30 to go to work! I can't find any superglue in my house that is not dried up!

I am about to have to go to Walgreen's to buy superglue. Isn't that classy? Glasses held together with superglue. But it is better than tape! I hope it works!!

And this is the most irritating part - because of my Rx, my lenses are so expensive. I spent $400 on these glasses at Sam's! And I chose the cheapest frames!!!! Our tax refund is supposed to be deposited today. So guess what my part gets to buy! Ugggghhhh!!!!!!!!

***Now throwing temper tantrum on floor!!!!!!!!!!!***

Shannon

2009-02-11T23:37:00.003-06:00

Another Bonne Volonte Day

Today was a good day to stop at Bonne Volonte!
I think Francesca is going to wear some of these jewels to Talking Trash's blog party on Friday! Her favorite thing to wear is jewelry. Lots of it!

This little silver puffy heart opens. It's really cute. Oh, Oh, Oh!!! I know what this heart is going to be! It's going to be Francesca's purse for the blog party! Come back Friday and see!!

Be sure to come back Friday! And go to Talking Trash on Friday for the big blog party!

Shannon

2009-02-09T13:40:00.004-06:00

2nd Tag - Also My Greatest Desire!

The first question of the year -

Silver Trappings, yes, is my blog. But I am also going to open Silver Trappings, my store, very soon!
I am hanging my tag booklet on a window that is hanging in my studio. I kind of use this window as my inspiration/bulletin board.

Thanks for stopping by today

Shannon

2009-02-08T21:28:00.004-06:00

Could this be a new addiction?

I made my very first tag tonight. Y'all all make such cute tags, and I have been intending to try one for quite awhile. Well, now that I have finally made one, and see how fun it is, I can imagine that this could become a new way to waste time, I mean use my time creatively.
Emily is posting a new question on her blog every Monday for the whole year. Her challenge is to make an art journal using these questions. It sounds fun, so I bought tags at the office supply store. I am going to make a tag for each question. I figured that I might actually do this if I kept it small.
This first tag will be my cover. I have to make about five tags to get caught up. But I can do that pretty quickly. And I can attach them all with one of those loose binder rings.
At the end of the year I should have a fun little tag book to look back on how my year went. The two pictures below are the back of the tag.

If this sounds fun to you, check out her blog. Thanks for the visit.

Shannon