1, 2, 3, 4 The New Pottery Barn Catalog!

The new Pottery Barn catalog arrived! I am in love with these pillows! I love decorating with accents that have letters and numbers!

I think I see a version of these appearing on a sofa here soon! And for a lot less than PB's price!

I Can't Wait for 2010!

I am ready for 2010 - let the new decade begin ~ out with the old one! My new quote is "Do what you love, and you'll never work a day in your life." No, I won't be spending my New Year riding on a Ferris Wheel, but I will start doing all the things I love! *Inspire*

THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS!

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house...every creature is stirring here - cause we have last minute things to get! Happy Christmas Eve!

A runner that's not a runner!

My renewed love of IKEA didn't stop at the sofa! I saw this curtain panel Anno Inez and loved it, however I have no windows that this would work on. Then I thought, use it as a table runner!

It came rolled up, so I saved the packaging to store it when I want to change it! It was $9.99 and you can cut it to fit your table! And...it smells like cinnamon rolls too!!!

Honey, do I smell cinnamon rolls?

That was a question I heard one morning from hubby, my reply ~ no honey, you smell our new IKEA furniture!

I got the *bug* to redo our living room (a.k.a. the room that no one is allowed into) and wanted to make it a more casual room and invite everyone in, to enjoy!

I wanted a slipcover sofa - I looked at Pottery Barn, loved their sofa's - didn't love their prices. I remembered that IKEA has slipcover sofa's and I liked their prices! I decided on the IKEA Ektorp 2 + 2, in Svanby Beige. Next, I dragged hubby to IKEA a few Saturday's ago. Picked out the sofa (bonus - they were giving an extra slipcover set w/purchase). It was delivered by 4:30 p.m. that day, and hubby put it all together!

Here's our new "casual" living room!

This sofa is very comfortable, slipcovers are washable, you can't dry them in the dryer, but I've got the second set to put on when these are being cleaned!

Now for the cinnamon roll smell - our sofa smells just like IKEA cinnamon rolls! It smells so good - good enough to eat! I'm glad it doesn't smell like IKEA Swedish Meatballs! *wink*

A Very *Romantic* Wreath!

We're just days away from Christmas, and I can't stop adding more items to my project list! I spotted this wreath - made from a romantic novel! I guess you could use any old book, but I like the idea of using a $1.00 romantic novel from the Dollar Tree!

Here's the link for the tutorial at Living with Lindsay. I'll be making a detour today during my Xmas shopping to pick up a novel from the Dollar Tree! I see a Very Romantic Wreath in my future soon!

Snowflakes and Santa!

I made a snowflake! These are so easy and fun to make! I made this one with six sheets of paper, cut 8.5 x 8.5.

I copied sheet music on both sides of paper and followed the instructions! I think I may make some smaller ones to put on gifts!

Here's a picture of my favorite Santa I have. This was my Grandma's. She always had him displayed in her china cabinet at Christmas. This Santa and I were both made in the same year (he has a sticker on the bottom)...we both look pretty good for 29 years old!!! *wink*

Snowflake's are here!

Isn't this the most adorable snowflake - it's the only *snowflake* I enjoy! Here's a tutorial from Cherished Vintage on how to make these!

I need to start doing some Xmas shopping today, I think I'll have to hurry home so I can make a few of these! *wink*

Happy Thanksgiving - Attitude of gratitude!

Wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving! *gobble gobble*

Time to Spoon!

I've been searching for a spoon!


I have zero wall space in my kitchen, my only option to display art is on a easel. I saw a "picture" I ~loved~ at ZGallerie - however, I didn't love the price...$149.99. Hmmm, I can find it - for less!

True story now...I thought I saw the "picture" at the HomeGoods store by where I work. I needed to do a Target lunch hour run (you know, give them a minimum of $50 for needs + those you don't).

I had this decision when starting my mission ~ go to Target or HomeGoods first? I picked Target first. Next stop, HomeGoods, walk in and I see a shopping cart filled with 'things' and the "picture"... there's nobody hanging on to this cart...just a woman several feet away...browsing...and the "picture" it's marked clearance at $36.00...I'm thinking, this is a cart they're using to restock shelves, I'll just save them some time in restocking and take the "picture". Oh no, it was the "browsy" woman's cart. I asked "are you sure you want this?" Of course, she said yes, I even told her how I've been searching for it for so long ...she showed no sympathy for me. Denied! If I had only gone to HomeGoods first. Lesson learned!

I started my next mission (yes, I did go to every HomeGoods in a 20 mile radius looking for the "picture"...no luck). So, I went to this site AllPosters.com and found it ($29.99). The UPS man delivered the spoon art poster a few days later - I took it to Hobby Lobby, got a frame on sale ($17.99) - they framed it for $2.00 (can you believe that's all they charged). This mission is now complete!

I now have my "picture"! Spoon love! I didn't get the clearance price, but I got it for the less than the ZGallerie price...I saved money!

So many more mission's - off to fulfill more quests! *wink*

Let them eat cake!!!

I'm a cake fanatic - that is, I love to bake cakes! I just spotted with my little eye, at Willams-Sonoma this Snowy Village Cakelet Pan!

I'm going to be heading to my local Williams-Sonoma store tonight to pick it up! Luckily for me, the Mall where W-S is, is about 5 minutes away!

I also have this pan from Williams-Sonoma ~ the Sandwich Cookie Cake Pan and I love it!

For the Sandwich Cookie Cake - I use a {box} brownie mix and it comes out really good. In the middle, I do ice cream for the filling (then freeze and thaw when serving) - or you could do frosting in the middle! I like this idea in the picture for the holiday season coming up, to use crushed peppermints/candy canes! I'll have to try it next!

The best advise I can give you when using these pans, is to use Wilton Cake Release. Your cakes will come out of the pan perfectly! You can pick this up at at Michaels (use your 40% coupon!). *Enjoy*

It's Fall - Ya~All!

We seem to forget about about Fall! If only the color's of the tree's would last a little bit longer. I took a few pictures of the tree's around our house right before Halloween - I'm glad I did, the very next day we had rain and all the leaves were down. Rake time.

This is all I did this year on my front steps (we were busy every weekend in October), I usually go *way-way* out decorating for Halloween and for Fall. The Boston Ferns that I planted this summer are still doing good and I got some fake mums to add some color ~ the pumpkin is real!

If we only had several months of these colors! Now we have bare trees and soon snow...boo hoo! How many days till Spring? *wink*

My *pairs* are heading to the San Diego Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk!

It's these *pairs* that are heading to San Diego!In August, I had an amazing time at the cheering event my good friend ~ Denise sponsored for the 2009 Chicago Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk - well, she's taking the show on the road to the 2009 San Diego, CA Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk! Hurray for Denise and her family!

Denise has made it her goal to continue *cheering* for the 3-Day Walkers and she has a new site dedicated to raising money for the 3-Day Walk ~ The Pair Tree.

I made a big batch of *pairs* for the San Diego tree ~ Ingredients: Lot's of pantyhose, pink glitter and stuffing! Denise packed them into her Mom & Dad's RV - and they're making their way to California as I'm writing! If you're in the San Diego area November 20-22, I hope you're able to participate in *cheering* for these great walkers and be sure to look for The Pair Tree. If you're a walker in the San Diego 3-Day event - all I can say is ~ THANK YOU!!!

There's a fundraising auction on The Pair Tree you might want to get in on! It's sponsored by Wine and Jazz and the great jazz artist, Nick Colionne. You can win the entire package! A two-night stay at the Tobin James Cellars "Guest House", a signed magnum of Tobin James Cellars wine, a VIP wine tasting, a Epiphone electric guitar ~ personally signed by Nick Colionne and best of all ~ an autographed discography of Nick Colionne's smooth jazz!

To all the 3-Day Walkers - we *heart* you! *smile*

Advice from the Oz

No, not from this Oz...

This Oz....Dr. Oz!

I'm sure you're just as *freaked* out about H1N1 as I am - here's some great advice from the good Doctor Oz! I have a can a Lysol and a bottle of GermX on my desk at work - whenever someone sneezes - I'm spraying Lysol and dousing my hands with sanitizer! Not to mention washing my hands about 10 times in eight hours! I'm just short of wearing a mask...and not a Halloween one! Here's some email advice I received from a good friend!

The following advice, given by Dr. Oz, makes a lot of sense and is important for all to know:

The only portals of entry are the nostrils and mouth/throat. In a global epidemic of this nature, it's almost impossible to avoid coming into contact with H1N1 in spite of all precautions. Contact with H1N1 is not so much of a problem as proliferation is. While you are still healthy and not showing any symptoms of H1N1 infection, in order to prevent proliferation, aggravation of symptoms and development of secondary infections, some very simple steps, not fully highlighted in most official communications, can be practiced (instead of focusing on how to stock N95 or Tamiflu):

1. Frequent hand-washing (well highlighted in all official communications).

2. "Hands-off-the-face" approach. Resist all temptations to touch any part of face (unless you want to eat or bathe.)

3. *Gargle twice a day with warm salt water (use Listerine or Hydrogen Peroxide if you don't trust salt). *H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat/ nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms. Simple gargling prevents proliferation. In a way, gargling with salt water has the same effect on a healthy individual that Tamiflu has on an infected one. Don't underestimate this simple, inexpensive and powerful preventative method.

4. Similar to 3 above, *clean your nostrils at least once every day with warm salt water, or hydrogen peroxide. *Not everybody may be good at Jala Neti or Sutra Neti (very good Yoga asanas to clean nasal cavities), but *blowing the nose softly once a day and swabbing both nostrils with cotton buds dipped in warm salt water is very effective in bringing down viral population.*

5. *Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin C (Amla and other citrus fruits). *If you have to supplement with Vitamin C tablets, make sure that it also has Zinc to boost absorption.

6. *Drink as much of warm liquids (tea, coffee, etc) as you can. *Drinking warm liquids has the same effect as gargling, but in the reverse direction. They wash off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they cannot survive, proliferate or do any harm.

Enough said, stay healthy and keep those hands and nostrils clean! *wink*

A Gift from God, His Name is Parker!

Please meet our new gift from God! My beautiful step-daughter, Katie gave birth to little Parker on Tuesday, October 6, 2009 at 2:05 p.m. (8 lbs. 7oz.). Parker is doing excellent and Mom & Dad are overjoyed by their new baby boy! Grandpa and Grandmimi cannot wait to start spoiling him! Love you Parker!

A new life makes everything better! Thank you God for this blessing!

Wedding Bells...will be ringing soon project!

My beautiful step-daughter, Christina is getting married on October 17, 2009 to the greatest guy, Joe! Yikes, that's two weeks from now!

I've been working on a project for the place cards at the reception...I found this idea in a issue of Romantic Homes - about six years ago. I also made one for a friend, and it was a big hit.

I found a frame at Hobby Lobby, in the 90% Clearance Aisle for a whopping ~ $6.00!

I spray painted the frame white and then I covered a foam-core poster board with fabric (her colors are the colors of fall!) and hot glued trim to hold the cards. I tucked a few cards in for now, we'll be addressing the real ones any day now! This will hold about 80 place cards, and it's a lot nicer than standing over a table trying to find your place card!

I'm going to add different fall foliage - so, I'll be heading to Hobby Lobby tomorrow!

Pottery Barn...You Catch My Eye!

I got the most recent copy of the Pottery Barn catalog and flipped through it, I L.O.V.E. looking through their catalogs and purchasing items, however this issue, something caught my eye that they used as a staging prop....

Do you see what I see? This is all I saw on this page - or should I say, I spy with my little eye!

Old wooden bowling pins!

That was it! I was on a mission for a set of these bowling pins! I was at the flea market earlier this month and saw a set. I was so excited, the dealer had a ton of {junk} treasures on his table and a set of these bowling pins, my heart raced...until I saw his price $79.00. I didn't even attempt to bargain, what was I going to get him down to ~ $69.00/$59.00 - not in my range. I still was on a mission.

Then, eBay popped into my head...yes, yes I will find them! I did! Oh no, I've never bid on anything on eBay....but wait, my friend Elizabeth is always buying things from eBay...I emailed her the link and the auction was ending the next day. Elizabeth assured me she would win it for me...and she did! Elizabeth always wins! She's a winner in my book! The winning bid was a small fraction of the $79.00 price the flea market dealer was selling them for...thank you Elizabeth!

Here is what I received just a few days later~

I put them in our entertainment center, I was going to put them on the coffee table like the catalog, but I thought they looked great here - I'll change it up ~ someday.

Look at these! I can picture a family, way before the Internet, before all the channels on TV, maybe listening to the radio...a family playing Table Top Bowling at night. They're aged to perfection and I'm grateful for that. Well enjoyed by a family!

What next will I spy with my little eye? Elizabeth, you're on stand by for my eBay finds! *wink*

My Brother's Man Cave!

My brother has a Man Cave/Man Land for all men to envy! So I am told by mankind!


He has a projection TV, a pool table and {vintage} couches! If he read my blog he would be screaming at me right now! He doesn't!


He has this great bar - a ship with a port hole! A beverage {beer} dispenser, pennant's on the wall...however, what all men desire in a Man Cave is this.....

A bathroom with a......

I never thought I would be blogging with a picture of a urinal - never say never! *wink*

Haunted House!

Last year, my cute little niece *Camille* and I made a Haunted House together!

We collected cardboard boxes and paper towel rolls and glued/taped them on a black foam core poster board and then we spray painted it all black and then painted glitter paint all over it.

Next, we cut out the windows from construction paper and glued green and yellow tissue paper to the backs of them. We got minature picket fences ~ painted them black and surrounded different areas of the spooky house!

This was a fun project for us - Camille has always been my little crafting buddy! {Luv U Cami!}

We used green Halloween spider webs and a bunch of creepy creatures to "haunt" the house! I added little battery tea lights throughout to give it a glow! Best of all, Camille took it home with her - she was very proud of her Haunted House!

I called Camille the other day to schedule our 2009 Halloween Craft project, she's a very busy 11 year old! I'm penciled in for early October!