Pallet for Home

Wow, how time flies?!?!

This time of year is busy for everyone, that I know, but this year has been an even more busy and hectic  (and let’s add “flat out crazy” to the adjectives) on me and my husband.   See about two weeks ago some things presented themselves (most would just call them life).  My husband found himself in a situation at his place of work, a crossroads, if you will.   With a family to support, we had to make a decision quickly.  Our decision was to go into business for ourselves.      Without going into great detail, this type of work has been in my family for years.  My husband, at the age of sixteen, learned the trade from my father who learned it from his father.   I know we will be fine and business will be great but nevertheless it’s scary and exciting.       

As for me, I know I haven’t posted much in the last month and now you know why.  Christmas decorating has taken a backseat to the starting a new business only a few short weeks before Christmas.  I’m sorry I haven’t be a great source of inspiration lately and just know that I have several BIG projects to reveal, but they will need to wait for after the holidays and my short break.   Yes,  I will be on a short break from blogging until I can find a rhythm  to my new schedule.

I hope everyone has a wonderfully safe holidays.  Please take the time to enjoy your families and thank God for you blessings. I know I will!

Country Wreath, Antiques, cool boys bedroom accessories, and decorating with Antlers

Yesterday I had the best day!  I met up with two fabulous bloggers…..  Debbie from Debbiedoo’s and Cindy from Dwellings The Heart of Your Home! 

When I left my home yesterday, my kids were teasing me about meeting up with strangers.  {Could it be that they really are listening to me?  huh, who knew} But how could I explain to them that it wasn’t like meeting a stranger at all?  See everyday Debbie and Cindy welcome me (and you)  into their beautifully decorated homes and share stories about their wonderful lives.   It was like meeting any other long time friend.  There was lots to talk about! 

We started with a two hour breakfast,  more talking that eating I assure you!  And then we went to this amazing antique consignment shop in Charlotte, NC!  It was the first time I had ever been.  Without the great navigation skills of Cindy, I would have found myself wondering around in circles for hours!  Thank you, Cindy.

Here are few fabulous things that I just had to share with you.

• Isn’t that wreath amazing?  A total DIY project that anyone could do!! 
• One booth had a lot of cool ideas for a boy’s bedroom or a man’s cave!
• I loved this “Mess Room” sign!  I need one on every door in the house. lol
• Antler's are so the rage now!  If that’s you thing this booth had every shape and size. 

Right at the beginning of our shopping trip, Debbie pointed out these shoe molds and said it was all the rage in decorating. 

{via Debbiedoo’s}

I replied that I hadn’t notice, which is no surprise because I don’t usually follow trends.  Then isle after isle we keep seeing them!  Finally Debbie says to Cindy and me, “We could each buy one and challenge ourselves to see what we could do them!”  Well, I’m always up to a good challenge, but Cindy was a little reluctant.   I told Debbie that I buy one as long as it doesn't smell like the shoe that it was once in!!!  LOL

To see more about our great day out and a beautiful photo of Cindy and Debbie, check out Debbie’s post here.

What was so fun about shopping with these ladies, even though this was the first time we all met, we were pointing out thing that would look great in each other’s home!  I love blogging,   the friendships that I have made, and now I want to meet all of you! 

A short while back I ran a giveaway from UPrinting.com.  The nice folks over at UPrinting.com were so gracious that they offered me a customize letterhead for myself.  Well, if that wasn’t fantastic already, I entered and won a giveaway from another wonderful blogger. 

(For the life of me, I can not remember the name of the blog.  I feel horrible.  If I won from your blog please leave me a comment so that I can give proper credit.  Remember…. my poor memory is the reason I blog/journal.)

With a little Photoshop magic…. okay an entire Saturday morning, I designed my two custom stationary letterheads.    Then it was as easy as 1,2,3 to upload to the UPrinting site and have it printed! 

UPrinting is so flexible with their designs.  You have several options to create your own letterheads, use there online templates or create your own in another format (Photoshop is just one option).

I’m sorry I sound like a infomercial.  I am just surprised that not many of you entered the giveaway.   This is is a great giveaway!  If you are hosting a giveaway from UPrinting.com, please leave a link in the  comment box.  

I hope that I inspired you to enter in a giveaway to create your own or even a gift stationary.

I don’t know about you but I am a major list maker!  And as much as I try to stay organized with list on either my computer and/or smart phone (which I also do), I still love good ole’ fashion pen & paper!!! 

Now, I need to create a custom holder for my stationary. 

Just another thing to add to my project list!

A few days ago, I opened up the mailbox at around 8pm and pulled out this package.  The minute I saw the name I knew exactly who it was from.  {Sorry Gloria,  for ruining the surprise but you are the only Gloria that I know}  

Inside were the most lovely homemade Christmas cards from Gloria of  The Last of Nine!

Here they are:

Beautiful aren’t they?

Didn’t see do a fabulous good creating them?

Gloria thought of everything….. She even included coordinating envelopes and a cute little carrying case!!!   

Thank you so much, Gloria!

What a great way to end a long busy day to have a little surprise waiting in your mailbox!!  She definitely put a “smile” on my face.  I love to receive homemade gifts.  Don’t you?

Another special person that I would like to thank is  Martina from Northern Nesting for giving me the chance to win her recent giveaway from Ramsign.com. 

Thank you, Martina,  I look forward to my new sign.

Happy Labor Day weekend!

I hope everyone is taking time out of their busy schedule to relax and enjoy family and friends.    I had to work Saturday, but plan on staying close to home for the rest of the holiday weekend puttering around with a few projects and spending time with my family.  With that being said,  there will be no Amaze Me Monday blog party this week.

Be safe and enjoy the rest of your weekend. 

I will be back tomorrow night with a giveaway!

It seems like around this time of year I do a bit more shopping than usual. 

It usually starts around mid August and last till the 16th of September.  That date is my birthday and I have a way of justifying numerous purchases by stating “it’s for my birthday!” 

Please tell me I’m not the only one who does this?

It started with this purchase back in August.

I already had a smart phone but honestly it didn’t seem very smart because there was very little that I could do with it.  After three years of living with the old dog, I broke down and got an iPhone.  Wow, so this what owning a (real) smart phone is like!  I am lovin’ it!!!  (after I learned how to use a touch screen.  Literally took me 15 minutes to type out my first 6 word text message!)

HOWEVER, my teenage daughter mentioned to me that I should be careful when texting or emailing someone because it likes to GUESS at what word you want to use and changes it.  I went back through some of my messages and oh boy….. did it ever!  I apologize if you were one of the recipients of those early messages. 

Also, the delete button and the reply button are right next to each other.  I did accidently erase a couple of messages/conversations when in fact I wanted to reply.  Again, I am so sorry if you asked me a question or we were talking right along and I never got back to you.  I guess in some cases you do need to be smarter than your phone.

  Have you ever hear of “Blacklion”?

I’m not sure if it’s a local thing, but it’s a huge store (think like super Wal-Mart huge) that is full of home décor, accessories, and furniture!  Even walking through quickly took about 2 hours!

Isle after isle of beautiful eye candy!

What I brought home….

and some incredibly soft creamy white fabric! (not photographed)

Miss Becca from Adventures in Decorating “PINNED”  a photo on Pinterest that caught my eye….. Pottery Barn Mercury Glass Pumpkins!    I really wanted these.  A whole pumpkin patch of them, please.

I thought I would humor myself and hop over to the PB website.  There they were with FREE shipping!   Uhhh, the agony.  I wanted them but still couldn’t bring myself to checkout.  Until….. an email popped up from PB with a 10% off code!  SOLD

I sure there are more splurges that have been made and will be made, but there really is no reason to completely rat myself out!  lol.

I’m going to share a few recent occurrences that have happened to me over the pass two days, just so you can laugh along with me.  Honestly, I was not laughing while in the mist of these mishaps, but some how, now, laughing keeps me grounded.

Up first…..

I mentioned on the Amaze Me Monday party post that I made a quick trip to Kentucky over the weekend for a MX race for the boys.  Now most of these dirt tracks are out in remote locations and I don’t think to much about being stranded in a field in the middle of nowhere.  So when the GPS lead us off an exit and on to a gravel road, it wasn’t a big deal.  I did look over to the Hubs and asked him if he saw a sign for the track before leaving the paved road….. He did answer.  Not more than a few hundred feet on this road I realized this in not going to be good.

( Photos taken from my cell phone)

Do you see how narrow this road is? 

In my most calm voice (anyone that knows me knows that does not even exist) I looked at my husband and remarked, “What if someone else is coming the from the opposite direction?”  There isn’t any shoulder to the road, only a large drop off into a cliff.   I’m not exaggerating either!

About a mile on this road (notice there isn’t a place to turn around) the road changes from gravel to sand.  Wet soupy sand.  The Hubs starts to speed up and I YELL, “Slowwww Down!”

He exclaims that if he slows down we’re going to be stuck!

About two miles in we find a cross road to make a 101 point turn around!  With my biggest eyes (and they are huge even at unpanicing times) and whiniest voice, I say…… “I don’t want to go back on that road.”  The Hubs calms my nerves and says, “I don’t want to either.”

At this point I am putting away my phone and everything else because the RV is swaying back and forth from the uneven road (if you want to call it that?  more like a logging trail!) and the RV is fish tailing it from the rear, sliding in the soupy sandy muck, and all I think to do is put all objects that can become  flying missiles to my head away.  Really all I could envision was us rolling over and over again down the side of the mountain.

When we finally rolled back on to asphalt, everyone breathed a bit easier and started to share their stories of how freakin’ scared they were.  Literally I was shaking.  A million prayers have been said since Saturdays fright!

DANG YOU GPS for sending us down the wrong road!!!

I honestly don’t think I could recapture what we went through.  The closest thing would be the part of the movie “RV” when Robin Williams is driving the RV by himself through the woods.

Funniest move ever!

I told the kids that we just discovered the original “Wilderness Trail” that Daniel Boone blazed. The irony….  the MX track is named Daniel Boone!  No lie.

Next up……

On the way home from Kentucky, the radio station said NO RAIN in sight for two days in our area.  

Then yesterday afternoon I wanted to get outside to put my deck furniture back in order (had to take every thing down for the roofers) when  the clouds started to get a dark shade of gray.  So I called my neighbor, my mom, to discuss the weather.  As I am talking to her, she ask me what that sound is?  I told her I’m standing next to the window and I think it’s all the loose stones from the new shingles that went up last week.   When it dawned on me… that it wasn’t loose stones or other debris from the roof but in fact it was HAIL! 

I ask you….

Who has this kind of luck?

Who has a new roof installed because of a wind and hail damage only to have it HAIL only days after the new roof gets put on?

Thanks for letting me vent and sharing a laugh or two with me.

When I was younger, early twenties, my folks and I  had a psychic reading.  JUST FOR FUN!  The psychic told me that my life (mostly my kids) would keep me on roller-skates.  If it was one thing it would be another.  She wasn’t kiddin’!!

Seriously!

Yesterday was our first day of homeschool.  

I started my morning off running around trying to get a few chores done before the kiddos woke up to have breakfast.  While figuring out what we could have for breakfast it became clear to me that I needed to make a quick trip to the grocery store.   I am a firm believer in the importance of a good breakfast!  So a quick trip to the store so that I can get everyone a good breakfast and on to their school work before morning was even over.  (I also have discovered over the years that my kids are much like myself,  we are more efficient in the earlier part of the day, hence the importance of getting our school work done during the AM hours) 

Some where from the drive back to the house and unloading a few bags of groceries I have tweaked my neck and shoulder.  Ouch!   I can not hold my head up straight for the pain is too intense.  In the back of my mind, I was hoping that I would wake up this morning and all would be better.  You must laugh at my innocence!  

Why am I telling you all this?  It’s certainly not to whine in your ear (although it’s always nice to have a sympathetic ear) but to let you know that I have some really great projects to show you if I can mustard up the strength to sit at this computer long enough.    In fact, I have been working on a post off and on yesterday,  but sitting at this computer is not helping my neck any.    So I am asking you to please be patient with me while I work out the kinks. (sorry.  bad pun) 

I really have some great projects to show!!!

Do you know that I don’t make life easy on myself? 

Nope.  I am still dealing with the insurance company from the storm that we had back in May and decided to schedule the adjustor and  the contractor to come by the on Monday after I got home!  Why?  Why do I do this to myself?  (I haven’t come up with a good answer for that yet)  But good news…. the adjustor approved a total roof replacement! 

On top of that, I had to drive to Charlotte to return the rented golf cart on Monday.  Yeah, the one that my son and his friends took every single minute and I never got to ride in.  Remind me to tell you about the time that I walked out of the RV and down to the middle of all the action in the heat of the day when it was 115 on the heat index and how I thought I was going to pass out walking back up the hill and just had to stop in the public rest rooms to wash off the dripping sweat, bring my face color back to a recognizable skin tone, and then just had to cool off with a vanilla milkshake just to make it the rest of the way back to the RV.   

Anyways, this week has been going by way to fast.  See I have way too many things that need to be done from being away for week and half-- balancing the checkbook, paying bills, laundry, phone calls, and so many more boring things that I don’t want to list.  Next week we will be starting school and I was hoping to have a LOT more completed projects this summer.  Uhhggg

On a brighter note…. In the mile high stack of mail that I need to sort through, I had a package from Michelle Alger of Shelstring and enclosed was this gorgeous beaded bracelet!  I haven’t taken it off…. in fear that my teenage daughter will want to barrow it and I’ll never see it again!  (Mom, aren’t you glad that I was never one of those typical teenagers?  LOL.  Right now my Dad is rolling his eyes, because he knows the real truth.  I just returned his cordless air nail that I barrowed over a year ago to do the “Gift Wrap Closet”.) 

Thank you Michelle.  You’re a doll.

If you follow me on Facebook then you know that THE DAY I got back it was my daughter’s 17th birthday.  We spent the day doing what all teenage girls like to do…. SHOPPING!  I was more than willing to spend the day doing exactly that after being stuck with 3 boys for 10 days in an RV!  I was over joyed (to put it mildly) to find a Pottery Barn Outlet so close to home!  I literally told the Hubs that he was going to have to get the truck and drive it closer because I found some great deals and they were coming home with me!! 

I found this umbrella on clearance with an additional 25% off plus it just happened to be a TAX FREE weekend!  Anyone who knows me knows that I am not a fan of blue and I actually had picked out a stone color umbrella. After talking it over with the Hubs, this blue umbrella was much bigger for only a few dollars more.  So the blue came home with us.  I can totally rock a patriotic theme for my back porch!

While I was away, the Hubs bought and stained one of the chaise lounges.  That was really sweet of him to go through the trouble. 

I hope this doesn’t sound super snotty of me, but the color is a little lighter than what I had envisioned plus my OCD sees several spots that he missed.  I know…. that sounds really awful of me.  I can’t help it though.  I spent way too much time making these chairs to not see to it that they look 110% all the way to the end!  

Yes, I only have myself to blame when the Hubby isn’t thrilled at helping out with my many DIY projects. 

As any good southern would say….

“Bless his heart!”

Here is the color that I was trying for before the stain decided to get thick and goopy on me. 

And my lucky day at Pottery Barn didn’t stop at the umbrella….  I found these chaise lounge chairs…. and again, on clearance with an additional 25% off plus NO TAX!!!  

Oh how I am dreaming about my next trip to the Pottery Barn Outlet!!!  sigh

Spotted this little Umbrella Stand/Side Table in the Pottery Barn catalog.  Isn’t it wonderful?

I spent a little time on Google Sketch-up working out the design and pattern for the Umbrella Stand Side Table.  I am hoping to start it this weekend.  I’m not sure if I’ll be able to complete it though; I have to work the pre-season game for the Carolina Panthers. 

Won’t this be perfect sitting between the chaise lounge chairs???

Hello Everyone!  Thank you for keeping the Amaze Me Monday blog party going strong while I’m out of town.  I love seeing all your projects. 

Let me catch you up-to-date incase you don’t follow me on Facebook.    I hit the open road with 3 boys in an RV on Thursday.  It felt like forever before we actually got going because the first thing I need to do was to fill up with fuel and propane, and bless the poor boy that helped me because I don’t really think he knew what he was doing.  It took 45 minutes! Next,  the boys were whining at the sheer thought of walking anywhere at Loretta Lynn’s (yes, for athletes, NO ONE walks anywhere… everyone rides some kind of pit bike or cart.) and so I had to make a quick trip to Charlotte to rent a golf cart. 

I didn’t get far on my travels when the gas gauge decided not to work.  Oh just great!   Quickly, I figured I would just use my trip odometer to determined when I need to refuel.   About a hundred miles into our trip, I got to thinking to myself….. “I wonder if the other gauges are working correctly?” Well, I got my answer to that question pretty quickly when I was pulled over by a cop!  Oh yeah, you read that right!!  I was wondering what on earth is he pulling me over for???  Well, the polite officer kindly told me that I was going 74 in a 60 mile an hour zone.  NO WAY!  Honestly my speed odometer was reading 63.  He let me off with a warning.  I don’t think it was my innocent smile that convinced him, yet maybe it was my WHITE knuckles and  blistered hands from squeezing on the steering wheel so tight!!!

Reminder:  I did mention that this was not a vacation for me.  Right?

Thursday:  We arrived safe and sound and parked next to some friends of ours.  The first thing I asked my son, “Do you have any bars on your cell phone?”  He replied, “Yeah!  I have full bars!!!”  For the first year ever, there is cell service at Loretta’s!!!  :-D

While setting up the RV, my son realized that the two slide outs would not work.  All you have to do is push a button and they should pop out!  Won’t you know…. there were more than enough helpful males around to help tackle our problem, but only one was quick enough to figure out that we had a blown fuse!

Friday:  I spent most of the day cleaning the RV.  I have learned over time that it is best to wait until you reach your destination to do your cleaning.  Why? By the time I get out of the drivers seat, the kids will have had every bag, box, and can of food and beverages opened and spilled all over!  Yep, it’s the cold hard truth about my kiddos…. their little slobs.  ha ha

Saturday:  Made a trip to Wal-mart to pick up a few things I forgot to pack and for those darn fuses.  Amazing, I know, with all the list I made for myself!  I picked up this great 9x12 rug for under $50!!!  and it’s reversible.  Whose knew that the RV section had some descent looking rugs?

Sunday:  Was a whorl wind of a day.  Registration and visiting all of Austin’s sponsors took a good bit of the day.

Monday:  Practice day!  I thought Austin looked good during practice.  When I got back to the pits to talk to him, he felt as if you didn’t look and ride comfortable on the track.  He’s very nervous.  Most rider’s here would agree that just being here one can not help but feel an immense amount of pressure.   

I stepped inside the RV to get the mechanic something and then it happened…..   I Couldn’t Get OUT!  The door broke.  A piece inside the door broke !!  Ugggghhhhh

I know have two options.  Crawl through the front driver’s/passenger’s doors or use the back cargo door!  What an absolute pain. 

Did I mention that this is not a vacation for me?

Later Monday Night:  Walked in to the RV to a strong smell of gas!  Propane Gas!  Turns out with the combination of the young man at the gas station over filling the tank and the extreme heat here in TN, the gas was bleeding itself out. Out an into the inside of the RV! The gauge was reading so far over full!!  Again, the neighbor RVer to the rescue!!  We very very very carefully opened the release valve to let out some gas--- in between golf carts and rhinos flying by in the pit areas (this is how the teens (and some parents)  entertain themselves at night.  Yes, my kiddos would be one of them!)

Needless to say, we slept with the windows open all night hoping no one had to drag our limp bodies out in the morning from carbon monoxide poisoning.   

Hey, did I ever mention that this would NOT be a VACATION for me? 

Sounds like I’m having a great time.  Right?  I don’t mean to whine in your ear, just thought I would give a quick update because if I wait till the end of the week I forget all the fun that I have had so far.  Seriously though, I love being here with my boys (but wish the Hubs and daughter were here too) and I have taken some time for myself…..

• gave myself a mani-pedi
• tried out the “Sock Bun Curls” that I saw on Pinterest (I’ll share my experience with you later)
• a nice quiet walk each morning
• visited with friends
• even did a little reading

Tuesday (today)-  Is the first of the three races for my son!  I am nervous.  Not because I worry about him getting hurt, I have too much faith for that, but because I want him to do well.  He has worked really hard training both on and off the bike; I feel like he really deserves to do well.  If he can stay calm and ride like he does when he’s practicing, he will be great.    Please say a pray for him.  Thank you.