Crow

One of my mixed media pieces.

Sweet stitching side table!

Yesterday it was a $3 yard sale yucky.  Today it is my sweet little, portable, stitching side table!  I can move it to where ever I want to sit and stitch.

$3 yard sale yucky.
This is the way it looked when I brought it home.
  I drenched it in Clorox Cleanup and sprayed it with the hose.

Sweet little stitching side table!

Chalk painted using Antibes Green and Aubusson Blue mixed together.

Replaced the knob.

I took it outside and sat on the bench under the tree to stitch.
I am working on a Lizzie Kate "Then and Now" piece.

I used the Annie Sloan dark wax.

I get so excited when I can turn trash into such a treasure!

Linking to Coastal Charm "Nifty Thrifty Tuesday"  http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com/
And Savvy Southern Style " Wow Us Wednesday".

Yard sale day!

I got an early start on yard sales this morning!  This is the treasure I brought home for $3.00.  I have already chalk painted it tonight.  I will style and reveal tomorrow!

New shoes and a new goal!

New shoes can be so empowering! 

 As a kid, I thought I would be able to run faster and jump higher with new tennis shoes on.  That is the same feeling I get to this day when I get new tennis shoes!  Going to the athletic store, looking for a snazzy color on the swoosh, opening the box to reveal the pristine clean....they just seem to come with a second chance (I am probably on my 200th chance) to live a healthy lifestyle.  I had made a real effort lasts spring to fulfill one of my deepest desires, to run.  Not run to the store, or run by the bank, or run errands but run in a 5k and maybe longer marathons.  I bought shoes, socks, clothing, and a nice watch for runners.  I worked up to run 4 minutes, walk 1 minute for a total time of 35 minutes.  It was getting easier and I felt great afterwards.  I tweaked a knee, rested for awhile, summer came with intense heat, and you can probably see were this is heading!  I just stopped.  Why do we do this?  I know I am not the only one!  Why do we make a commitment to live healthier lives and then let it fall by the way side?

Me and my new shoes are recommiting to that 5k training!
Maddie.. I am going to match your 240 miles! 

These shoes were picked through a computerized fitting at
 Try Sports.

Traditional laces were replaced with no tie Yanks!

Great day!

Today was the day that I took my baby to college!  We left home at 7 am, swung through Panera drive through and arrived at Salem about 9 am.  We pulled up in front of her dorm, unloaded the two cars onto the curb, and went to park the cars in another location.  When we got back, a swarm of upper class girls had already carried her stuff to her room!  I don't know why I expected any different...Salem has done everything with class throughout the whole admissions process this year!  Maddie was beaming at every turn the whole day.  Every few minutes I would hear "hey Maddie!" About every 10 minutes someone would stop by her room and comment on the furniture arrangement and goodies that she brought to decorate with.  Then someone else would show up saying that they were told to come see her room.  Maddie would beam even more (and momma's ego got feed a good bit too!).  I have done several post about things that we were DIYing.  Here they are in her new home:

Maddie's first day of college!
DIY: Laurel branch with fabric birds -there is a pattern on Spool for the birds, embroidery hooped fabric wall art.

TJ Max patchwork quilt and peace pillow.  Walmart $5 sheers.
DIY: Chalk boards added to the under bed rope baskets, Fabric banner made from precut quilting fabric squares and bias tape,  green husband pillow has yo-yos added to it, a mixed media collaged painting, paper collaged trunk.

Green Target lamp.  Ikea white metal bookshelf.
DIY:  Chalk board with scrap book paper half circles around the edges.  We had a hard time with command strips today which is why the chalk board is not hanging yet.  On the floor is an old suitcase that I did a mixed media painting on.  This is being used for art supplies.

DIY: Hooped fabric.  Another basket with metal letters attached.
Decorated lampshade.
Dyson knockoff fan ($125 on eBay).

Roommates end of desk.

Maddie's roommate Blair on her bright polka dot comforter!
 The art work is a mixed media piece that I did for her graduation present.

I am going to miss my girl very much, but I am not worried about her in the least!  I left her today, a happy, confident, young woman, ready and eager for this awesome adventure!  I still wonder every day how I got so" lucky" to get a girl like her to call my very own.  I have been blessed by her presence since the day she was born!  I love you sweet heart...have fun, work really hard, and make good choices!

Colored Wool

I love the french country farm as much as the next person.  But when I go to paint a sheep, cow, or rooster, I have to put in some unexpected color.  Color seems to be my trend in painting.  No matter how much I love the lighter colors of whites in the decorating blogs, or my efforts to use more natural colors in my home, I keep going back and adding those pops of bright happy colors.

My babies!

Blue and Scooter