Re-creating my entryway

Watching the sun rise and knowing Who to thank.

I love this reminder! No matter where you are on Earth, no matter how beautiful or ugly it may be around you, the sunrise is the one thing you can predict will happen each day to sustain us with light and heat. In 1993 I had the privilege of watching the sun rise as I sat in frozen (literally) anticipation atop Mt. Haleakalā in Maui, Hawaii. It was a glorious sight. A there-is-a-God moment. An unforgettable peace.

You may remember this frame when I picked it up at Goodwill in its former life:

I primed and painted it with spray paint. Then I cut out the letters of the saying in fabric that I’d backed with iron-on adhesive. I ironed the yellow background fabric (also with iron-on adhesive) right onto the wood backing and then ironed the letters on top. Everything was easy peasy except for cutting out the letters, which I did while watching about 6 episodes of House!

I couldn’t bring in a piece of the sun to complement my frame, so I brought in a piece of a living thing that grew because of it. This hangs near my doorway. I like it!

Technorati Tags: Home Decorating,spray paint projects

I’ve hit a wall

I have come down with a bad case of Blog Reluctance!  I don’t know what has caused this terrible disease.  I recently took on a new job at the YMCA (at a time when we are moving into our new building…what was I thinkin’??…more about that later) and now find myself with less time at home to mess around.  I did finally finish my living room/entryway projects that I had started, which I hope to post this weekend.  Only one empty space remains…above my couch.  It’s “done” in my head – I can see it clearly – but now it needs to jump onto the wall!  Ha!  Stay tuned to see if this blogger illness goes away.

Window Treatments ~ Part Two

Here are 3 super simple valances that could be modified mistreated in a gazillion different ways. (There are more than a gazillion different fabrics, right?)

Come back next week for “Window Treatments: Part Three” for some simple curtain ideas!

Kimm @ Reinvented posted the How-to for this couldn't-be-simpler valance...something about folding and hanging...no sewing involved. For her precise directions - in two whole sentences! - click on the picture. I'm going to keep this in mind for sure because sometimes I like to change my valances, and this technique allows you to reuse the fabric for other projects because it remains intact with no seams to rip out or glue to cut around. Thanks, Kimm!

This beauty from Make and Takes (I saw this on Nester’s site) is another simple project that could easily be done without sewing. Click on the pic to hop over to the tutorial.

Now, if you have a child who loves sports, this “mistreatment” might be for you! This adorable bedroom caught my eye on Rate My Space; click on the picture to bounce on over where she explains how she made this window topper with balls from her roof – what a hoot! Talk about recycling at its best!

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It’s “A Beautiful Life” Friday at The Inspired Room. Fly over there for more beautiful inspirations from Melissa and her bloggy friends!

Technorati Tags: Home Decorating,window mistreatments

One thing I would never borrow from my husband

While waiting at son Steve’s orthodontist office, I flipped through the February 2009 issue of Hallmark Magazine to pass the time. 

(Last month I tried to sit and clear my mind without doing or thinking about anything – it was a relaxation exercise recommended in an article I read at the dentist’s office the day before.  After ten seconds, I wound up creating my menu for the week in my head.  And made a grocery list in my head.  And wrote an email to my mom.  And visually cleaned the back bathroom.  I think I am ADD because I cannot just sit and NOT think.)  Anyway, I digress – proving my ADD point….

Thumbing through the mag, I saw a title that caught my eye:  What Do You Steal From the Guys?  It was a list, I think based on a survey, of what women typically steal from their man to make their own.  I found most of the ideas to be kind of interesting, but then…whoa…got to the last idea and I just can’t shake the image in my head.  Here’s the list:

• Moxie for Men 
• Tree shoes
• Men’s razor
• Cologne for men
• Using a combo of antiperspirant and Bold Bond Medicated Powder for working out
• WEARING HUSBAND’S UNDERWEAR DURING PREGNANCY

 

Do you have the same image in YOUR head??  My youngest was born 6 weeks early unexpectantly after frantically making plans to get to the hospital, and I can only imagine the shock and subsequent snickers of the nurses who would be helping me into my hospital clothes.  But I really can’t imagine the reaction from the real owner of the undies – he would have either killed me or, worse, never let me live it down.

 

So…I gotta know.  Have YOU or A LADY YOU KNOW ever worn MEN’S UNDERWEAR?  If so, WHY?  Were they comfortable?  Were you scared that you’d be in an accident and your secret would be revealed in the ER for all to discover?   Or, am I the silly one and it’s really not a big deal?  What do you think?

I dare you to leave a comment below.  If I get ten of you to reply, I’ll steal a pair of Hubby’s for a day and report back to you.  [My comments are low and I’m so desperate to raise them, I’m willing to contradict this blog post title. Ha!]

I discovered a new way to blog!

Windows Live Writer is my new BFF

Unfortunately I don’t have a lot of time right now to play with my new toy, but you know I will make the time very soon! I’ve been feeling a little envious when I see what others are doing on their blogs—using really cool fonts, an endless array of colors, and eye-catching layouts. Now I know their secret! USE SOMETHING ELSE BESIDES BLOGGER – LIKE WLW!! I can even do this. It seems to be a lot like using Word. I’ll be back soon. Yea!

IF YOU USE WINDOWS LIVE ALREADY, JUST FIND IT WITH YOUR START BUTTON AND DOWNLOAD IT TO LINK TO YOUR BLOG

IF YOU ARE NOT YET A BLOGGER OR NOT USING WINDOWS LIVE, JUST GOOGLE IT AND DOWNLOAD IT FOR FREE!

A meal planning survey

Many of us are having to cut back on our eating-out habits and fix more of our meals at home. If you enjoy cooking for your family and want to make changes in how you plan your meals, do yourself a big favor and check out My First Kitchen. Kendra has posted a survey so she can learn more about our eating and cooking habits. Then, armed with our information, she's going to come up with ways to help us be more efficient in our meal planning. Yippee!!

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To encourage us to complete the survey, she is offering a giveaway contest! One of us lucky winners will receive a set of her spices. Yummy!

For us bloggers, she is offering a chance to quadruple our entries! Just post her survey link on your blog - but do it NOW because she's ending it at the Cinderella hour of midnight on Monday, March 16.

I {heart} my newest Goodwill find

Look what I found at the Goodwill!

I glanced at my friend sitting on the floor as I first walked over to the home goods wall but didn't give it much thought. So I kept on walking to peruse the baskets, glassware, vases, etc. displayed on the shelving which spans a good forty feet. But each time I stopped to take a closer look at something, I felt a pull to glance back at my lonely friend on the floor. I think it was calling my name!

Finally, after finding a couple of lonely baskets, I headed toward the registers. One last time, I looked down at my friend, it looked up at me, and it was love at tenth sight! In an instant, I imagined it cleaned up with a new coat of white paint. I {heart} lattice work and am in the planning stages of decorating my living room and entry way with an outdoorsy feel (see my March 3rd post). So I adopted my $6 friend!

I believe it's homemade, which really makes it a unique piece.

On Sunday I'll post the "after" picture!

I really want to thank Kimm @ Reinvented for inspiring me. I already bought four cans of Heirloom White, as recommended by this very crafty lady. Yippee!!

[Oh, yikes, I just realized upon looking at my picture that this is red primer! What am I thinking? You know where I'll be tomorrow.....]