Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Let's go for a walk

Come take a walk with me for Outdoor Wednesday !  The temperatures great this morning,  I hope you've got your walking shoes on.   This is a beautiful walk and you will want to soak it all in.  In an effort to get myself back in shape I have been doing my walking again.  I am so blessed to live in an area that not only can I walk in but that I get to see such beautiful visions along the way!  Today I want to share that walk with you.  I have lots of photos here and will keep the narrative small but feel free to just cruise on ahead if your a power walker!

I start at the entrance to the sailing club.  Even though I could walk here, I drive my car here because I have more traffic on my street and I hate dodging cars when I don't have too.  It's just easier to park the car here and walk these roads where the cars are fewer and far between.


Then were off down the street!




I love looking at the house along the way!




Such a gorgeous shady street.



That's big and pretty isn't it?

Let's keep going straight, if you go to the right that will take you towards my house but were not getting on that road, were going on down straight.


Past the old chicken coops.


Now you can turn to the right, were not going down the dirt road.



Are you getting winded yet, just a little further around this bend.




Now we get to see a few homes that are lakeside.



Just up this way is one of my favorite houses to look at.



Yep, that's the one I love to see!


It has been so fun to watch this home evolve.  I walked this road before it was built and now every time I come by there is more landscaping and pretty things to look at and notice.




Yes, we're going around that bend too.




Were almost there.






These are some of the original lake homes.




I want this lot!  LOL!



See that sign, I told you we were almost there.


Here's another favorite home of mine to look at on this road.

Here we are, end of the road.  If we keep walking...


We'll end up in the lake!   But we are turning around and heading back!


Oh come on, you can make it!


There's that big stucco house again.




Pretty canna lilys!



Gorgeous newest house on the street!






It's starting to look like fall around here!




I love old fences and things like this.




Especially when right next to them is more beautiful homes.


Back around the bend.


I think that's a cleared off power line.


Were staying on the road though.






Look!  I see fall!


And now back to the left on the road we started out on.




Can you guess where these folks are from?






This is in front of the same yard with the horse topiary?  Did you peek at their flag.  They are from Kentucky!




Pretty purple Crepe Myrtles.


And Pink Crepe Myrtles.




And white Crepe Myrtles.


Come on, let's pass this walker with the dogs!


Very good!  You made it!  We will stop here for now.   I usually keep walking past the club and up the road ahead.  That's where there are lots more lovelies on the lake.  We will walk down there next time.  I can tell you've had enough today!

Thanks for joining me on my walk today, I hope you'll do it again someday!
Feels great doesn't it!

Monday, September 13, 2010

Fall Vignettes and a BIG Thank You!

I'm all about fall decorating lately and I'm finally ready to show you more fall vignettes.  It's time for Tabletop Tuesday and Nifty Thrifty Tuesday so please hop on over to both of these sites after your visit with me.  Be sure and tell them I sent ya too Okay?


But before I go any further I want to say a great big Thank You to our friend Jennifer from All that Glitters.  She had a fantastic giveaway not to long ago that I was the lucky winner and recipient of.  Girl, I just love all my wonderful goodies!  I won't be featuring them all on display today because one item I'm saving to show you for another very special meme.  However, let me show you what was waiting for me when I got home from running errands on Friday.  Of course I had to open it right away and this is what it looked like inside.

Oh, I love the black and white check ribbon and toile paper!  Thank you!


My very cute red large rooster measuring cups are adorable!


And this candle smells divine.  I can't wait to burn it and enjoy this wonderful scent.  Don't you just love the container the candle is in too!  I will definitely be keeping that when the candle is finished.


And last but sooo not least this adorable tin sign!  I just love it!  It even has a cute metal hanger attached.

Thank you so much Jennifer!  I am so inspired to have one of these giveaways of my own soon, and I know just the occasion coming up to have one!  I love your beautiful note card too!  Please be sure and check back later to see how I am using some of this! 


 Of course you won't have to wait on the candle.  It looks right at home right next to my rooster who got a dash of fall leaves and a sweet little pumpkin.  I bought these pumpkins from Ross last year, three in a box.  I saw they are back this year too and are only $3.99 for the box of three.  So if you like them, get on over to Ross!

My candle with the rooster topper moved next to the vinegar decanter.  I added the red candle ring I already had and some fall leaves to the ivy!  Easy fall spruce up!




I added more fall leaves to this Ivy also.  Do you recognize the canape holder.  It was the one I got from Goodwill for .50cents.  I spray painted it with ORB and added these little square bowls I found from Ross. 



I still have not found any 5" square plates I prefer yet but these bowls certainly did fit the bill.  They were only $1.99 each too! 


My dining room buffet table got a little fall decor too.


Just enough to let you know it's that time of year.


And this little vignette has me pretty pleased!  I already had the pumpkin with the blessing on it and put it on that gold candlestick I got this year at a thrift store.  How do you like the bow?  The cute little pumpkins in front of my tin plate are from the dollar tree.


The coffee table got more ribbon and a few more items also.




The cornucopia is an old one I had as well as the leaves, but it looks great next to this new pumpkin I got from Hobby Lobby.




These adorable little pumpkins came from Hobby Lobby too!  I got them on sale at 50% off of 2.50 each.  Not a bad deal huh?  I just love the cut work on these!  Gorgeous!



I have to also show you my arrangement outside!   It's been done awhile and I thought I was going to get the porch cleaned up to show you, now I'm not sure when that's going to happen!   So, I thought I'd at least show you the table by the front door!

There's Mr. Sassy looking very handsome next to my arrangement.



As if all of that wasn't enough, I just have to show you my latest deals.  I made my Walmart run this morning and look what I found all on clearance.  Our Walmart is already marking down the fall items.  I guess it's time to make room for Halloween.  Anyway, so many lovelies!  But I really needed these!


I don't know about you but we go through kitchen towels like crazy!


I don't usually have to replace the oven mitts to often but the ones we had, have been burning our hands right through the mitt.  The dark burgundy smaller mitt and holder were only $1.50 for the set and the larger mitt was only $2.50.


The heavier towel in the background was only $2.50 and the two rooster towels only .75 cents each!


And this beautiful linen looking towel was only $1.50.

Did you notice that they had the Better Homes and Garden label?  I sure did!  I am just so in love with all the Better Homes and Garden stuff that is coming out in Walmart!  It is fantastic!  I even saw some plates I fell in love with that were Better Homes and Garden.   No surprise there huh?  No worry, I didn't get them.  LOL!

Well its looking very fallish around here now! 
It's still pretty hot though in the afternoons, but the leaves are falling and it's definitely in the air!

Thanks for stopping by...have a great Tuesday!
Mary


Sunday, September 12, 2010

Sewing table makeover


I am ever so happy to have this makeover finished!   It is my sewing table makeover!  If you follow my blog you know I have been working on this since the makeover of my craft/sewing room.

Right about the same time I decided to makeover one of the spare bedrooms upstairs into my craft/sewing room our son who lives out of town decided to bring home a piece of furniture he no longer wanted.

When he moved out he took this desk with him to use as a desk and dresser in one.  He decided he no longer wanted to use this as his desk and dresser and then bought his own furniture to use that was more suited to his own style.  So, this meant he called home to say, Mom, I'm bringing that old desk home!  This was great news to me as I had always used this desk for my sewing table.  It is narrow enough that I can bring the presser foot around and sew easily.  It also has enough drawers to store all my sewing items.  However, this is how it looked when he brought it home.  It has looked this way for quite some time actually!  I decided immediately it was time to give this desk a makeover too!





 
I gave it a very good sanding  then several coats of off white paint.




I decided to leave the top unpainted, so I could put a stain on the top.



I was really pleased at how well I sanded the top out.



Here it is after the first coat of stain.  The Mr. took over from here and gave the top 3 more coats of urethane after this.  He really wanted to make sure we had a good finish on top, since this was a hand me down piece from his family.


Rather then put the same old wooden knobs back on which I didn't have all of, I decided to use some other knobs that I already had.  They were the brass knobs that I had from the kitchen when we first moved in.  I kept all of them after replacing them with the crystal knobs.  So I pulled out 6 of them, rubbed them with Acetone and spray painted them with ORB!



They really turned out great and I was so thrilled to be able to use them.  I am now pondering all the other things I will also be able to use them for.



So, here is my sewing table!  Please don't pay attention to the picture frame I have sitting on top.  I will either be buying a nice print to go over my sewing machine or painting something special to go here myself.  The frame is here to help me visualize.



I am so happy to have this project finished because I have many sewing projects stacking up that I really want to get too.  Yes, those fabrics on the chairs are all sewing projects lined up to be completed.



I put a runner on this desk for now so as not to scratch the top.  I really want to put a glass or Plexiglass top on here so when I sew I can move things about without worry of marring the top.



Here's a close up of the knobs!  Yep, I need to touch up under the top, I'll get to that!



Here's a close up of the stained finish on top.  Beautiful isn't it?









I'm still loving how my sewing and craft room is coming together!  Thanks for joining me today!
I hope you enjoyed your visit and come again!
Mary

I am linking up to http://www.betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/ for Metamorphosis Monday.
Please be sure and join the link above for more wondrous transformations!
Mary