2 YEARS......No Way

Apparently I have been blogging for 2 years as of yesterday.  

I seriously can not believe it!!!

I am not a diligent blogger by any means, but I am trying to get better.  I have a hard time thinking of things to blog about.  And a harder time finding time to sit at the computer!

I started this blog to chronicle my design business and ideas, but most clients don't feel comfortable having their homes on the internet, so that bombed.  Then I have randomly been blogging about whatever is going on or projects I am doing.  I have been trying to get my ideas out on the blog, that not only helps my brain, but also helps preserve my ideas and is a good resource to look back on.

So that being said, in honor of my 2 year anniversary, I am asking what you as readers want me to blog about.  I need some great ideas!  

AND to reward you for helping me with this quest, I will offer you a 15% discount to my Etsy store.

I am really hopping to make this blog blossom and I would love to blog about things you my blog friends are interested in.

Thanks you so much for you help!!!

*you have one week to help me out, I will send you the coupon code once you comment, ends Saturday, Feb. 4th at 5:oo p.m. mountain time*

Table Top

It has been gloomy all week.  It is rainy today, so I have not been able to photograph my table top.  

Ya know, no natural light, crapy photos!

  So I decided to show some of my favorite tops from the web.  Enjoy!!!

via

via

not a table top, but I love it so much!

simple

I am not sure who to credit on these.  If you know any let me know!

Table Top

We have had this sideboard for years.  My mother-in-law gave it to us when she was getting rid of a bunch of furniture.  It needed a bit of work when we got it, one of it's legs was broken, it was missing a center piece of wood, the handles were missing or broken and the veneer was peeling from the top.  We fixed the leg and center piece of wood, I bought new handles for it from Pottery Barn and we put a marble top on it.  I love how it looks now and we have it sitting in our front room.  I store candles, pillow covers and some accessories in it. I wanted to share how I have the top decorated, well at this moment anyway.  It changes all the time.

I made the lamp from a rusty old wind turbine roof vent that I got at the salvage yard.  You saw me make the mirror here.  The other mirror is an antique I found in a second hand shop.

   

I made the welcome sign from an old door.

The log has tiny conks growing on it and the ironstone pitcher is holding a few fern leaves.

The cloche sits on an old column base and an amazing birdhouse, that my sister makes for my Etsy shop, sits inside.

I love how fresh this looks for the New Year, but that could change!  I am fickle like that.  ; )

Giveaway

Katie Evans is hosting a giveaway on her website K. Evans Photography for a workshop she teaches at 6 different locations.  She is an amazing photographer, so if she is in one of your cities you should head to her site and enter her giveaway ASAP!!

Table Top

Table setting for three.  

I used a vintage table cloth.  I love the colors and graphics in old linens, especially from the 50's.  I used some ironstone platters for chargers.  The napkins are dish towels from Ikea and the wood containers are old fruit baskets.  

I use milk bottles all the time for serving water, juice, soda and even milk sometimes.

 

Tuesday Tip-Old T-Shirts

This was supposed to be posted yesterday, but blogger hates me!

I believe in the old saying "waste not want not" so I try to recycle and reuse everything.

My husband gets new under shirts for Christmas every year.  So of course I got to work cutting up his old shirts to use as "rags".  I love having these "rags", I use them for everything, from dusting to staining furniture.  They make great paint rags for drips and such, and no worries about throwing them away in the end.

I don't think that I have bought "rags" for 17 years. 

(that's how long I have been married)

"I Never Win!!!"

I am the unlucky one in my family.  Well in the since of winning contests and things.  

I am very lucky in life!  

My brother, however, has always been lucky.  He usually wins every contest he enters.  He wins money, concert tickets, electronics and sports tickets.  He is the luckiest person I know.  I always thought he had a magical power or something.

But....................

my luck finally changed!!!  

Miss Mustard Seed had a contest on her website a few weeks ago for a generous gift certificate from one of my favorite Etsy sellers, Leslie Janson.  I have admired her items for a long time and even purchased a beautiful flower pin made from vintage hankies.  I wear it all the time!

So of course I entered the contest knowing I would never win, because "I NEVER win!!"

But..................

guess what, I won!!!  I was so excited!!  It was easy for my to pick what I wanted from her store.  As a matter-of-fact I already had a favorite bracelet picked out.  I had been eyeing it for a while. lol  Yes, I am one of those Etsy stockers.

Isn't she gorgeous!!!!

It came in the mail, packaged beautifully by the way, I immediately put it on and snapped some photos.  I love it so much and Leslie is a lovely lady, she paid the shipping (even though she did not have to) and worked with my odd Christmas schedule.  Her work is meticulously done.  She uses vintage finds, which is one of the reasons I love her things.

She is wonderful and all of her products are too die for, if you get a chance take a look at her store, you will be happy you did!

Thank you Miss Mustard Seed and Leslie for changing my LUCK!!!

Table Top

One of the things I love to do every season or sometimes every month, is change my table decor.  Whether it is the coffee table, dining table, or a cabinet, I love creating little vignettes.  Ok let's face it, any horizontal surface really!

This is a vintage rustic table that I am using in our front room as a coffee table at the moment.  I love the chipping paint.

I bought these candlesticks at a thrift store for close to nothing.  The are silver plated and the plating is coming off, so they are perfectly worn.  Two sticks match and I put an odd one in for balance.

As you know I love paper whites, so I put some bulbs in milk glass containers.  They look wonderful and are starting to bloom.

I love to collect small things and put them in glass containers for all to see!

These are match boxes that I collect, some have shells, pine cones, the Eiffel Tower and this cool heart.

Thanks for stopping by!!  I hope you like table tops too.

Tuesday Tip-Hooks

I use hooks all over my home, I find them very useful.  

They are easy, especially for small children, strong and look great even when they are empty.  

I use standard hooks, knobs as hooks, and make my own hooks.  Almost every room in my house has hooks for something or another.

Here are vintage coat wire hooks that we use in our mud room.  They are easy and quick, perfect for busy children.  I have them screwed into wood planks to make them stronger.  We use them for coats, bags, backpacks, hats, you name it.

I have standard hooks in all the bathrooms for towels.  I find that my children have a much easier time hanging towels on hooks than they do folding a towel to hang on a bar.

We do not have a coat closet for guests, so guess what?  I have hooks!  Well these "hooks" are actually old door knobs that I put on an old piece of molding.  It is practical and it looks great when nothing is hanging on it.  Sort of a piece of art.

The laundry room has hooks also, they are so useful.  I dry clothes on them, they hold cleaning tools, I put hung clothes on them and they are great to display my favorite clothes pin holder, a baby dress.

If you read this blog you know that I have them in my hall to hang photos on too.

They are in the bedrooms, to hold goodies that look great and are sentimental.

Lets just say I can not find anything bad about hooks!  The are soooo useful and practical, I'm hooked!  

Ok, that was so lame sorry I could not help myself. heeheehee

Pity Party

So if you do not want to listen to my pity party you all should log off now.  

I really hate pity parties, but I need to get somethings out for the new year.  I am really trying to make my dreams come true this year, and it all begins with me.

I have been unhappy for awhile.  I am not exactly sure why, but this feeling has come over me that I am not doing what I should be doing.  I have many dreams and would love to fulfill them, but there are hesitations and doubts.  I feel, well, lost.   I have been a full time mother and maid (lol) for a long time, and I feel like there are dreams of mine that I am failing to fulfill.

Don't get me wrong, I love being a mother and am so grateful that I have had the opportunity to stay home and raise my children.  I am one lucky woman to have a wonderful family and an amazing home, but I still feel like something is missing.

So hopefully this is the year that I work on myself and take a long look at the goals I have and want to accomplish.  

I can't wait!!