trying it out

So I am trying to figure out how Windows Live Writer works since that was recommended to me by another fabulous blogger.

Last night I was about to go crazy trying load pictures in Blogger because they wouldn’t rotate.

Seems easy enough.

Actually I already like it better!

Pictures are easier to upload as well.

This is the window above our kitchen sink.  

This is my big round Christmas penguin.

I love to decorate with fat penguins, round snowmen, and moose at Christmas.

Only problem is moose are hard to find.

Why is that? I bet they will make a comeback soon though.

Have you noticed that the woodsy look is popular this Christmas?

Here is my big fat fluffy snowman.

I wish he could sit on the couch, but Cooper would tear him to pieces in a heartbeat.

Ok, well that was my trial post in Windows Live Writer.

And I love it.

Thanks Maureen!!

And thank YOU for reading!

Paper wreath and blogger

Well, I've loved paper wreaths for forever (uh, well for at least a year) 

and finally got around to making one of my own.

Mine is definitely not the best one I've seen,

and I'll probably end up doing it over again.

Sad, I know.

But I'm still going to show it because I did spend 1 1/2 hours working on it!!

At least I spent that time staring at this hot babe, right?

You know, come to think of it he was staring at me!!

=0)

This project only cost me $1 though because all I had to buy

was a foam wreath from the Dollar Store.

I got the book for free at the State Fair this year.

Everyone I went with got their book snatched out of their hands as

I deemed it an inappropriate read,

and pollution to our minds.

I made Haley get two.
For me of course.

I actually only used one book,

which means I have more to practice with

until I get it the way I want.

There are lots of tutorials all over the web

on how to make these beauties,

so I'll make it quick!

Tear out the pages, roll up or fold up each page

and hot glue each one to your wreath.

.

I folded mine, and now I wish I had rolled it.

Also, I started at the outside of the wreath and

worked my way in,

and I might should have done it the other way around.

But here's the final project.

I tied it to a ribbon, and hung it over the mirror above the fireplace.

Sorry for the blurry pictures.

I started with a flash, but I didn't want to show off all the

streaks my mirror has.

Whatcha think?
Be honest...it's okay, I will cry myself to sleep if you don't like it. I can handle it.
=0)
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On a completely different subject,
I'm thinking of changing my blog host from Blogger to Typepad.
Have any of you used Typepad?
I've only been blogging this year,
and have kind of taken it slow as I get a feel
for how it works and all that jazz.
But next year I'm hoping to kick it up a notch
and post more often.
Any advice on which one is better?
Blogger seems a bit temperamental, and it's kind of a pain it seems
to load pictures and organize them in a post.
I will do some research online as well,
but was wondering what you all thought.

Thanks so much for reading!!

Dreaming of a white christmas

Well, Thanksgiving is over.

We had a great one.

It's amazing how fast the day goes, after all the time spent preparing for it.

 But the memories are what last all year long, and make the next one so exciting to think about.

So now, it's on to Christmas.

Friday we slept super late...no Black Friday shopping for me and I'm fine with that. =0)  

Maybe one year I might try it, but since we wake up early on Thanksgiving to get everything cooking, I'm perfectly happy to take it easy on Friday and drink my coffee curled up in bed.

Until it's time to go pick out our Christmas tree, at least.

Last year it snowed on Christmas. Truly a Christmas miracle around here.

I always associate Christmas with snow like in the picture below. 

(That totally rhymed but I don't want to try to figure out how to reword that!) 

I don't know why since we live in Texas!
But it's fun to image I guess.

Wonder if it will happen again this year?

We will definitely be hoping!!

(Oh, all the snowy pictures are from right here except for that last one...pretty sure that's Boston.)

More trouble than it's worth?

I love Home Depot, really. It's two seconds from my house and they always have what I need. But I needed to match a paint so I can finish painting our office/craft room, and after two different trips to the paint department, my match is still a serious non-match. =0( Depressing actually, because I wanted to be finished with this room by Thanksgiving. So, I guess tomorrow or the next day I might try Sherwin Williams instead. Never been there, heard great things of course, so I will letcha know if they can get it right for me! Wish me luck!

On a more positive side note, how is everyone's Thanksgiving preparations coming along? What are some fun traditons that you and your family share?

Sheet music lampshade

Hey everyone.

If you're looking for my sheet music lampshade you have come to the right place. =0)

It's just, I have to start by saying

GO RANGERS!!!

Who would have ever, ever thought at the beginning of the season,

that the Rangers would be going to the World Series?

I used to watch baseball a lot as a kid,

back when Nolan Ryan was in the business of pitching instead of actually owning.

Eddie had to work during game 6,

but me, Haley and the pups

got into the spirit over here in our Rangers gear as best we could.

You might think Cooper is doing a dramatic yawn, but you're wrong.

He is actually cheering on Josh Hamilton.

Kallie is just happy to actually be in a picture. =0)

It was awesome to see the entire stadium packed with fans.

My brother and sister-in-law were actually there!

Lucky ducks!!!!

Here's Justin taking in a little piece of history.

I'm sure it was absolutely amazing!

Spirits are definitely high here in Texas.

=0)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well, in equally exciting news around here, I finally finished this lamp. =0)

I wish I had a before, before picture. This is a halfway picture.

I got this lamp from the Salvation Army for four bucks.

The base was a dingy white color.

I spray painted it with black semi-gloss, and called it good for a few months while

I figured out how I wanted to cover the lampshade,

and thought about what look I was going for.

Then, randomly, as most of my projects go, I saw some sheet music

from when I was a perfect young child,

and knew exactly what I could use it for.

It wasn't one of my favorite pieces, and I have lots of other music that I've kept,

so I didn't feel bad about cutting it up and gluing it to my lampshade.
=0)

I cut the sheet music a little larger than the lampshade,

then used Sobo to glue it on.

After the glue was completely dry,

I laid the lampshade down on a cutting board,

and used an X-acto knife to cut off the excess paper for a nice clean line at the top and bottom.

I also used glossy Mod Podge to give it a nice, finished look.

What do you think?

Notice the lamp isn't the only thing that's different.

Know what else is currently undergoing a makeover

in this Office/Craft room?

 

I am finally painting this room too!

Amazing all the things that can be accomplished when you simply

finish all the half-finished projects!

Genius!

=0)

Thanks for reading!

A look back

Last November I received my favorite issue ever of Country Living. I drooled over it all month long and many a blessed time since.

Thinking that maybe they saved their most beautifulest ever house tour of the year for this particular month, I couldn't wait to open up this November's issue.

And guess what.

It was excruciatingly and devastatingly disappointing.

Thumbs way, way, way down. Just not my style is all I guess. 

I'm over it now, (not really), but thought I'd share last years pictures with you so I can relive the moment. =0)

This is Caroline Scheeler. She is a good friend of mine who lives in Illinois.

Ok fine. Actually I don't know her at all. But look how happy she is looking out her dutch door. I'm sure we'd be great friends.

She probably isn't watching her two dogs take steaming monster dumps in the backyard first thing in the morning like I would be doing if I were to stare out my dutch door that I don't actually have in the first place. 

No, she is probably watching two beautiful prize stallions gallop around the track and practice for the Kentucky Derby. 

This is the photo that I always have in the back of my mind when I think of the perfect informal dining area.

Oh my gosh.

I love, love, love the dark brown charcoal color on the walls.

So rich and inviting.

I could go on forever about everything I

love in this dang room because there is absolutely nothing wrong with it!!!

Again, I love the dark brown wall here, paired with the beadboard.

So amazing.

And look. BLACK WALLS.

Isn't it gorgeous????

Oh if I had the nerve.

Another french sofa that Eddie would probably  have to get over because our marriage depends on it kill me on the spot if I ever came home with.

But let me tell you, I could totally curl up on that couch, with my leopard print faux fur throw, and be content for a long, long, looong time.

And I love the archway here and how they added all the molding. It helps define the spaces

and set them apart from each other I think.

Brown walls again, in tight spaces too, but it looks so clean and crisp against the white.

See. Prize stallion. What did I tell you?

I actually am in the middle of painting our office a charcoal brown color.

I probably wouldn't have had the nerve to do it had I not

found a gallon on sale for five bucks.

Hopefully it turns out looking as nice as Caroline Scheelers!

What do you think?

I know right? Country Living could me knocking on my door any day now!!!

I am so excited about this.

 =0)

one project down, 35 million to go

New goal: Before starting anything new, I am going to finish up all the projects I've already started.

So far it's working out pretty well. =0)

Haley needed some sort of shelving to put all of her worthless crap precious trinkets on.

One afternoon after dropping Haley off at her grandparents, I stopped in at Goodwill and found this for $4:

I had another picture somewhere that I took the day I brought it home but I can't find it...but this is after a coat of spray primer.

When I got it the paint was light beige and dingy looking.

I cleaned it, primed it, and then let it sit around for about 6 months.

I knew I wanted to do something to the back of the shelving but couldn't find a scrapbook paper that was a good color, and I didn't just want to paint the back of it either.

Then today I noticed some tissue paper in the office and realized it was just perfect.

(And by tissue paper I mean gift bag tissue paper! Not toilet paper or kleenex tissue!)

The color is Haley's favorite blue right now, and the pattern was just enough to pop but not too much to overpower all of the "valuables" that would be showcased there.

But it's tissue paper? Really?

Ok, I decided to give it a try.

So first, I painted everything a basic white color. Something I got awhile back in the oops section; $5 for the whole gallon!

After it dried I used a sponge brush to evenly apply Sobo glue to the back of the shelf, and laid the tissue paper on very carefully.

Because tissue paper is sensitive.

Especially when wet with glue.

Here it is drying.

I love it against the brown.

Then in Haley's room after I hung it.

I probably spent more time looking for all of the tools than actually working on anything.

Other new goal: Have set spot for most-used tools. =0)

All dry and lookin' fine. 

Since the tissue paper is so thin, it actually blends perfectly in with the painted wood, and almost looks like a stencil.

If you get up close though, there are a few spots where it wrinkled up a little.

Haley had fun accessorizing/accesorizing/exercising? it. =0)

All of her Webkinz. Except for the spotted dog.

That was mine way back in the day!

Here it is half done. She spent the whole night trying to get it just right.

The monster-ish thing is something she made in art with clay.

She did a really good job with it.

Meanwhile, Cooper enjoyed laying on Haley's freshly washed comforter when he knows darn well I am trying to make the bed.

I know he knows because he is avoiding all eye contact.

See. He won't look at me. 

Stubborn. Stubborn. Stubborn.

And 3 hours later. Except I managed to get the pillowcase on. =0)

Please check out all the parties I link to here.

Thanks for reading!!