More thoughts on Simple Abundance

Look what I found! A workbook to go along with the Simple Abundance book! It's on Amazon but I think Barnes & Nobles has it too. I remember last time I was doing Simple Abundance that I wished for a bit more guidance in doing the various exercises so I think this is going to be a wonderful resource to have. Do you have your Simple Abundance book yet? Whatcha waiting for? I'm so looking forward to doing this with everyone because I'm hopeful I'll make it thru the entire year this time knowing I have others with me, sharing and supporting as we embark on this wonderful journey together *smiles* Last time I did it very sporadically and didn't even make it to summer *sigh* We can live simply, abundantly, creatively, and most importantly with gratitude for the many blessings we have. Sounds divine doesn't it? I'm so excited!

Bits of Randomness...

See the peeling color on that one ornament? I thought for sure Indy-kitten would manage to knock that particular one off the tree but sadly it's still intact! I didn't go tree decorating crazy this year with two kitties in the house, one still very much an active and overly curious kitten.

Whatcha think of my tree skirt? I whipped this baby up one evening... easy peasy. Next year I might even line it before using again *smiles* Remember Nester says "IDHTBPTBB"

I'm on the home stretch now... Work is gearing up for our inventory. We have an early date so the agony won't go on and on well into January as in previous years then it's freedom for me! Well maybe not freedom but certainly a less stressful work life which I'm fully intending to take advantage of. Am I the only one behind on around the house projects? There's the sideboard to paint... Remember my $8 for the pair shadeless lamps? I gotta paint those. There's quite a few sewing projects laying around. Oh yeah, some reading...

I purchased several copies of this book off ebay quite awhile ago and shared them with particular friends who I thought would benefit from the message. I certainly embraced it for awhile but sadly slide away from it. Time to start afresh, a new year and all. Won't you join me on a journey towards a life filled with gratitude and joy found in Simple Abundance? We can share our progress. Just an idea. Think about it. Let me know.

More ChrisTmas Decorations

Last year I really over-did my mantel. I thought it looked fabulous but looking back on the pictures I'm asking myself what was I thinking? So this year with limited time and resources I went a simpler route. Perhaps too simple? I like it and I especially like that my mantel doesn't scream Christmas and can live as it is well into January without me cringing at the sight of Christmas decorations left up past Epiphany. Love the metal tree votive candle holder which is a Family Dollar circa 2002 find but I still haven't picked up some LED fake candles for it. Sold at Hobby Lobby, that store I'm in practically every day all day long, working my fingers to the bone, far too busy to snatch up a pack with a 40% off coupon...*sigh*

Mr Snowman was a Hellmart clearance find maybe back in 2003, I love him so much! His colors match my decor perfectly, I could decorate an entire house with his color scheme...Oh wait, I did decorate my entire house with his color scheme *smiles* And the bird is resting in the last remaining intact stemmed crystal dessert cup that Miss Fatty Catty Sissy managed to destroy.

My apothecary jars... If you're one of my three regular readers then you know that I'm a jar filler challenged person. I'm been in treatment, taking injections for it, I'm trying really hard to overcome this challenge I have... Am I there yet?

And finally a new purse for the holidays, so what if it's been lying on my sewing table buried under more sewing for weeks? Better finished a week before Christmas than a week after I say!

ChrisTmas Sideboard!

I am so excited to finally post some pictures for y'all! Sorry about the quality, my digi camera still isn't working properly, there's some sort of trouble with the flash but I took all the shades off my dining room chandy to brighten it up enough to take a few pictures so I hope y'all will forgive the quality - I tried!

Now y'all know how I've dreamed and pined for a sideboard and while it's not fully finished (we're going to do that after ChrisTmas) we're still enjoying it! I have it fully loaded!

Here's my do it yourself covered lampshades I made awhile back using the self adhesive shades I bought from my all time favorite store can you guess it's name? Hobby Lobby! I got them on sale for $6.99 each 50% off so they were cheap-o! The fabric is silk and left over from my dining room window treatment so no cost there, the trims were purchased last year at a greatly reduced price due to an inventory overstock reduction sale and if I told you how much I paid you wouldn't believe me and/or would hate me. Now the lamps were purchased from a church rummage sale for $4 for the pair. I knew when I saw them they would be perfect for my sideboard and I think they turned out very nice! What do y'all think?

Now the self adhesive shades are super easy peasy to cover but and I should capitalize this BUT there's a trick...They tell you in the directions to cut your fabric one inch larger all the way around the pattern which is true, you should do that now here's the big BUT, BUT before you glue the excess to the inside of the shade be sure to trim it first otherwise you will see the shadow of the excess fabric each time you turn your beautiful lamp on! I made that mistake on my first one and since I had hotglued the fabric to the inside of the shade I had quite a time trimming and pulling off hotglued fabric so it wouldn't be visible when the lamp was turned on. For the most part I fixed it but I wouldn't look inside my shade too closely if y'all know what I mean!

My beautiful metal shelf! I bought this last summer along with some other things that I've shown y'all already, things that I used to perform a mini bathroom makeover...Remember? This shelf wasn't purchased with a home in mind other than mine but for $4 how could I not buy it? It's been living in my bedroom on the floor beside my dresser till recently when I had a brilliant idea to hang it here next to my jumbo oversized ober expensive mirror...Regular Hobby Lobby shoppers should recognize this beauty! She was originally something like $149.99 and requires hollow wall fasteners to hang, she's hefty! I didn't pay nearly that much *smiles* More like 90% off so that's about $15 and change... Isn't she gorgeous? I love her!

Here's the view all decorated with mini village buildings, most are from Fred's and were on sale for $4.99 each. The quilted table runner is from Walmart clearance of fall stuff this year. The alpines were also from Walmart several seasons ago from their after ChrisTmas clearance. I don't think I'll put them on the sideboard again next year, normally I put them in front of my dining room mantel but wanted to try something different this time.

Now y'all please tell me what you think! I've had this basic arrangement of sideboard with big thing over it, something on either side with two lamps in my head forever... Now that I have it in reality I'm wondering am I on the right track? Is it semi balanced looking? What am I going to put on that shelf after the holidays??? And what should I put on top of the sideboard? Did I completely get it wrong? Suggestions and comments please!

This weekend we're taking the Boy and the Girl here...

To see rooms like this...
I've been looking forward to this for months! I'm not letting a little cold weather, a persistent cough, and a drive of over an hour in a compact car with four people, three of whom are 5'9"(me), 6' (Mr Darcy), and 6'3" (the Boy) dampen my spirits. Who cares if my decorating isn't done? This is the Biltmore House people!

Things are still crazy busy for me at work and home. I'm still coughing and not feeling 100% yet but I am pleased to report that last night Mr Darcy, the Girl and myself worked on our living room Christmas tree. Progress! O course Indy wouldn't leave us or the tree alone! Have you seen Darlene's blog post on Midnight? Aside from her beautifully decorated tree/home and fur babies that actually get along it's like looking at my own home and our crazy kitten Indy!

Meanwhile I'm trying to whip up a quickie tree skirt from some left over silk I have and stayed up till midnight pinning my trim on. This morning found me sitting at my sewing machine furiously trying to finish up a new robe for my darling Mister D before changing my thread for sewing the skirt. Not quite there yet but close!

Progress thus far...

Living room tree up and decorated

Patriotic tree up and decorated

Sideboard (still unpainted) decorated

Dining room mantel decorated

Bathroom tree decorated

Outside of house decorated

Remains to be done...

Kitchen tree found and decorated

Handmade gifts to be finished

Stockings to be made

All boxes removed

*sigh*

And my camera is still messed up! I don't know what the problem is but the flash isn't working and since my rooms are dark it's making pictures impossible. My darling husband hasn't really shown me how to use his digi camera yet but hopefully I'll learn fast and will be back to posting pictures soon! I have so much to share!

Wishing everyone a wonderfully blessed weekend!

the unspeakable happened...

Remember these beautiful thrift store stemmed crystal dessert dishes I found for only $8 ??? If I wasn't sick before this certainly pushed me over the edge, my fat kitty, Miss Sissy whom we rescued from her previous disinterested owner, decided to climb her fat fluffy butt on to my wicker bookcases where these beauties were temporarily living till I could find them a more suitable home and knocked every single one of them to the floor. One survived. My dear sweet and extremely patient husband, whom I call Mr Darcy, was in the attic with me putting down more flooring so we could store our Christmas and fall decorations in separate areas making our annual decorating easier. The sound of crystal shattering on the floor is unmistakeable even when one hears it all the way up in the attic! I'm sick, simply, utterly sick. I didn't even have the heart to fuss at Miss Sissy with my normal "bad kitty" speech. It was just too much for me. *sigh* Now if this had been my only recently purchased thrifted bargain to bite the dust this week then I would say it's been a bad week and not merely a horribly bad week but it's not. My dear sweet son who is a real Mr Darcy in the making is 6' 3" and has the bull in the china shop gait to prove it, day before yesterday he managed to knock a 3 plate holder off the kitchen wall along with the plates of course and one has a nasty unhideable chunk knocked off the rim. *sigh* Sometimes I really feel I can't have anything nice, even if it's thrift store nice. OK I'm done whining. I really am. I'm blessed and it could have been so much worse, these are only stupid possessions and matter nothing in the scheme of things. It's just hard when I'm already feeling so physically drained from work and a crud from Hades that is persisting in taking residence in my throat and chest. I'm sorry dear friends, please forgive my rambling. I had such hopes of posting lampshade pictures, sideboard decorated (albeit unpainted) pictures, pictures of something ... instead of nothing.

Ever get a song in your head that is the background music of your day? Mine is "It's the most wonderful time of the year" *smiles* Have a wonderfully blessed and disaster free weekend!

Life in Retail...

I am exhausted after working long crazy hours this holiday weekend. And I'm coming down with some sort of awful crud. Please forgive my lack of blogging. I hope to be back at it very soon but for now I'm going to rest and try to get over this crud that is wearing me down. Many happy blessings to everyone!

Sideboard

My sideboard is all cleaned, wood filled, sanded and ready to be prime coated! I'm so excited but my dear sweet Mr Darcy suggested I wait till after Thanksigiving before tackling the painting. I think he's afraid he won't get his huge feast lest I'm still painting. So I'm reluctantly going to wait till after Thanksgiving to finish it. In the meanwhile though I thought about buying some of these to cover with the red silk fabric that's on the bottom of my dining room window treatment, what do you think?

I scored a pair of buffet lamps in a yard sale up in Lake Lure for $4 !!! But they were without shades and sometimes you can spend way too much replacing shades. You know how I love a bargain and I can get these for $6.99 a piece then 50% off plus my discount so I end up with two for less than the price of one. I can't go wrong right?

Daydreams vs Reality

One of the things I love most about my old house is it's dining room. I never lived in a home with a proper dining room, most had dining areas and some had eat-in kitchens. And when we purchased this home years ago my Mother was living with us so we used the dining room as our family room so there would be room for Mother. It was only after we moved back into our home about 3 years ago that I finally had a dining room. I've spent countless hours over the last 20 odd years daydreaming about this:And sometimes I'd daydream about dining rooms that looked like this:

Once we moved back in I especially started to daydream about these:
With all that daydreaming of mine what have I ended up with? Good question! This is what I ended up with, a thrifted, neglected, abused, unloved, very dirty, old, broken down sideboard purchased from the Summerville Flea Market for $50 a few months back. I have since decided I paid way too much! It lives on my porch and helps to round out my white trash decor to adore so we can fit in with our neighbors lest they find out we're not really from around here you know...
Sorry the picture is so small but trust me, this baby doesn't improve with enlargement! It's a big project and we've (my darling Mr Darcy and me) just started tackling it. In case you're wondering when the best time to start a big furniture rehab project is, let me clue you in, the absolute best time is as soon as the weather turns too cold to work outside and it's less than two weeks before a major holiday! *smiles*

I'm a WoW Widow...

My darling Mr Darcy and The Boy play World of Warcraft together. The new expansion pack came out Wednesday night at midnight... Of course The Boy stood in line at Gamestop to buy their copies. The Boy stayed up all night installing both on to the their computers. My darling Mr Darcy took Friday off as a personal day in order to play the new game. After staying up all night he's resting now but I'm sure he'll be kicking me off the computer any time now. So since I'm a WoW widow I'm off to meet a friend for coffee then on to another friend's scrapbook store to play with paper *smiles* Are you a WoW widow too? Or maybe you're a golf widow or NASCAR widow or Football widow? what do you do when your menfolk are completely absorbed into their games/hobbies?

Mr Darcy goes a thrifting...

My darling Mr Darcy took me on a thrifting adventure weekend before last. We drove over to the little foothills village of Landrum in search of the Habitat for Humanity Resale shop. We were not disappointed. I found these two ironstone plates for 75 cents each but when I checked out discovered they had been on the half price table! Can't beat that deal! I thought I'd hang them with my other two pretty plates I found on my birthday.
As I walked thru the shop I came to the linens section. I thought why not have a look and I started digging thru stacks of linens and found these animal print Euro shams, two of them for 25 cents a piece! Of course I had to get them even though I have nothing remotely close to cooridinating with them in my bedroom. And I found 6 beige cloth napkins for 25 cents each. I love using cloth napkins, don't you?

Now brace yourself for this next find. A set of 8 crystal stemmed dessert glasses for only $8!!! Perfect or almost perfect condition. Upon very close inspection I noticed one had the tiniest of little chipped area along the rim but this is nothing compared to the beauty of them. I would never have noticed it if I hadn't been looking really really close. Where to store them? Display them? *sigh*

A small apothocary jar for a dollar! Maybe it won't be as intimidating for me to fill up since it's small.

Landrum is a quaint little town with several antique shops and artsy style shops, lots of fun to explore on a beautiful fall day with your schmoopy-pie! We had lunch at a rustic and dark little place named "The Hare and Hound", did I mention this was a horsey enthusiastic community? *smiles* It just added to the charm, my darling Mr Darcy used to show horses in his youth so he enjoys the whole atmosphere. I do too.

A Perfect Blend of Friendship Award

Do you know Darlene of Darlene's Days? I bet you do, she has such a cute blog where she shares her daily decorating adventures whether it's a thrifted find she's made over into something totally fab or pictures of her dear daughter Lexi's adorable bedroom each entry is truly worth reading and copying. Now she's a sweetie, so sweet in fact that she was given the Perfect Blend of Friendship Award and passed it along to me! Imagine my surprise and delight. Be sure to visit her blog, she's a daily must read for me and I'm sure she'll fast become one of your favorite blogs too.

This award asks you to answer four questions.

Do you have the same friends since childhood? I moved several times growing up and lost contact with many friends but I've been blessed in recent years to be reunited with a few. Even though we live in different states we manage to keep in touch thru emails and it's wonderful.

What do you value most about your friends? Understanding. I think it's too easy to find fault with people and take offense. I value friends who try to understand where someone else may be coming from before judging, like the old saying about walking a mile in another's shoes.

Are your friends sounding boards? Absolutely! I tend to obsess over things and by talking things over with them it helps me to have clarity. I value their opinions and experiences.

What is your favorite activity to share with friends? Shopping is pretty close to the top of my list but I think time spent just hanging out and creating is pretty wonderful.


Now I am supposed to pass this along to three of my blogging friends they are:


Susie at Bienvenue


Rhonda at Scooterblu's Whimsy


Debs at Langfordlass



Be sure to stop by their blogs, you'll quickly see why I think they are wonderful blogging friends! And don't forget to visit Darlene of Darlene's Days who honored me with this special friendship award.

This One's For Darlene!

I started this project just before I left on my grand Hobby Lobby Adventure to Statesboro GA. I finally finished it Monday morning! This is NOT a difficult project but things are a little crazy in my home lately... I don't remember being this busy when my child was little. Here I am today with two over the age of 18 (The Boy and his fiancee The Girl), two kitties inside, two puppies outside, a divine Mister and a never ending TO-Do list... Of course the twice daily round trips south (each 45 minutes one way = 3 hours daily commute) doesn't help much when it comes to creating more hours in my day to create and play.

If anyone has the answer for all of us struggling crafting diva's please share! Cause I ain't figured it out yet... *smiles* Have a wonderfully blessed and creative day!

Pumpkin Carving with Indy

The Girl loves to carve pumpkins and she loves her new kitty, Indy so naturally we had to combine the two...

What is that?

Oh that face!

My turn, let me have him!

The Girl says it's from a Batman comic book...

She would know...

She's a huge Dark Knight fan so I'm taking her word for it.

I may not recognize it but I still think it's pretty awesome looking

*smiles*