Blue Summer School

Good Morning Miss Jenny!  How are you today?  Yes mam, I am here today!  No mam, I did not skip your class last week, I just failed to show up!  No mam, I am NOT trying to be funny, see I did my homework and everything.  Heck, I was even a day early on that, I just forgot to show up on the right day!  If you don't believe me, just look, I brought it with me to you can see.  Here's my homework from last week, can I please still get credit?  Come on!  Purrrtyyy please!!!


See, I been so busy it's hard to tell when I'm coming or going lately!  Ever felt like that?  I do all the time!  Yes mam, I do know that's none of your concern but I thought you'd want to know, me being your favorite student and everythang!  Urr, I mean every thing! Why yes, I was feeling a little blue about missing out on my favorite class too!  That didn't last too long though, since I got so much going on ya know, I don't have time for no whining and poor pitiful me stuff!


Let me show ya what I been up to.

I've been painting this here blue room!  It's been blue since the day we moved into this house.  Well, it ain't blue no more!  I did such a good job on it and my husband said, "Well it finally looks like it belongs to the rest of our house now!  LOL!  You'll have to visit me on Monday to see that!

Blue is one of my favorite colors, I know I say that about each one but it's true!  Let me show you all this blue stuff I got and then you'll see.

I got blue pillows, I made myself!

Most of my pictures have blue matting.  There's more then these but I was in a hurry and forgot to photograph them.

This picture and..

... this picture are Madeline Carols, she does ghost image prints, very cool stuff!

I just love my blue Lampe Berger!  It' a cloche Berger now! 

My favorite candy dish from when I was a child.

A new blue addition, I have two of these seeded candle holders

Blue faux (that's fancy talk for fake) hydrangeas.  I got me some real ones too, but they done bloomed.

Speaking of outside I got blue out there too!

 

I painted this little table myself this summer.  No mam, I didn't do that tile work myself.  Yes, I do think it's a great match now, your right!

I also painted this garden chair blue too!  Lawsy, Miss Jenny you are so funny!  That's just a little old bitty chair.  It ain't for sitting, it's just for show.  Mam?  Yes man, I meant it ISN'T for sitting!

Yep, same ole blue was put on my lanterns!

Now here's a different blue for ya, it's a turquoise watering can.

This blue here was my favorite, but it's gone now!  We had a storm come take it out this summer.  Broke my heart it did!  That's right, I will always have my memories.  Sniff..sniff.

No mam, I don't want you to start feeling blue now, I gotta another one now.  It's got blue in it too.  As a matter of fact, Miss Jenny, you would love it cause it's got every color of the rainbow!

See!  Beautiful!  That' should give me extra credit for sure!  I hope this class goes by quick today cause I gotta run, so much to do, so little time!

Be sure and stop my Miss Jenny's today if you got the time for more Rainbow Summer School @

http://jennymatlock.blogspot.com/

Thanks for stopping by ya hear!  Holler at me too!

Little Missy (aka Mary)

Bakers Rack Vignette and More

I'm starting to see more hints of autumn popping up all over blog land.  I just love decorating for this time of year, don't you?  So many beautiful colors!  I just couldn't help myself, I had to do another area of transition.  Mind you, we are not there yet, but are moving in the direction.


 I'm sharing a few pre-season changes to my bakers rack for Tabletop Tuesday @ http://astrollthrulife.blogspot.com/  and for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday @ http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com/.


 I am so glad I got this piece!  It was a fantastic yard sale bargain you can read all about here.  It is going to be so much fun to have a place to display seasonal decor on the porch.  It really is taking tons of will power not to pull out the pumpkins and such but I've got to save something for you to look at for later. right?  So, here is my modest new make over on the bakers rack.

So sorry for the overcast look but I was up late working on this last night and then had to snap the photos early this am.  I've got quite a busy day so I just can't wait for the sun to appear in all it's glory.  Besides, I really don't want to deal with the heat when it comes either!  What's that on floor there, are the leaves dropping already?

Only the leaves off a few branches of my potted Ivy that I didn't water enough.  I thought those dead leaves my get you excited for fall though, is it working?

I am loving the colors I've used on this so far!

Let's start with the top shelf.

The blackbirds are back!  They were a steal on the Hobby Lobby clearance shelf.

I added an old small floral swag with beautiful fall flowers.  It looks great with the metal on this lantern I got at a yard sale this spring.

I just love the color contrast around the black birds.

Now for the second shelf...

I kept this bronze scrolly thingy because I really love the color and woven design, Hobby Lobby clearance isle $2.00!

Then I added two small woven baskets just big enough for a lemon each.  I know, I know,  work with me here okay?

And finally the bottom shelf!

I just love this little trio!

I added a few flowers to my little black tin watering can.  It's the one I got for $1.00 from Hobby Lobby.  Do you recognize that stand?  Yep, it's those wonderful votive holders we all got from the dollar tree this year.  So versatile!

My husband added this compass to our bakers rack this summer.  Word of advice to you younger ladies, for a happy marriage never discard your hubbies decorating ideas.  Work with them!

I love the colors on this compass and only recently thought to put it on the stand, even though he insists a compass is supposed to be lying flat!  Men!  Tip No.2, they must learn to work with you too!  It's all about compromise!

On the opposite side I added my beautiful blue bowl filled with nuts from our yard.  I collected these nuts years ago and put them in this dish.  It comes out every fall!  I just love it!

It will be beautiful to see the sun reflect through this bowl, when it comes out today.  I will have to make a point to come see since I am going to be working upstairs.  Here's a peek at my latest project in the works.  I am so excited!

Can you guess what I am doing?

That's right I am taking over my oldest sons room!  Don't worry he still has a place when he comes home.  See, this child actually had 2 rooms, since we have 3 rooms upstairs.  My youngest son claimed the largest room that has an attached bath and my oldest son claimed the other two rooms and the hall bath.  One room was where his bed and dresser were and the other room was where his desk, TV, guitars, etc. were.  It was the room to hang out in with his friends.  Pretty smart, huh? 

While he's been away in college I have taken over the larger hang out room and set it up as my craft/sewing/guest room.  You have seen it before.   I have now decided to turn that into a total guest/hangout/oldest sons room for when he does come home.  Does that make sense?

That leaves this small room completely open for my office/craft/sewing room!  It also means I can leave it as messy as I want should guests come.  LOL!   Those drapes are so coming down!

I totally emptied the room and am using more Ooops paint I've had laying around.  I told you I collect those cans didn't I?  I just can't hardly walk away from a $5.00 can of paint in a color I like because I know I will use it someday.

 

Just so you know I'm telling ya the truth, here's a peek at the green room now!  It's piled high with furniture for the moment, but I've got a great floor plan for it too.  I know my son will enjoy it when he comes home and hopefully so will guests too! 

Well, like I said, I've got a busy day and I'm already a few hours behind.

See ya later!

Thanks for stopping by and please leave me a comment if you do!

I love hearing from you.

Lamp Fix And...

Yay!  I fixed my lamp!  Nope, it wasn't broken, just hideous!  It surely didn't start out hideous, I can take ALL the credit for that.  Me and my impatient self.  Let me show you how my lamp started out when I first acquired it. 

Here it is when I brought it home from the yard sale.  Do you remember I told you I bought this lamp with the shade for only $3.00?  I would have bought it at the $5.00 they originally had it priced at but they offered it to me for less.  It was closing time and they certainly didn't want to take it back inside.   I really liked it as it was but wanted to give a little something extra special.

So I added glaze to it!  I used my Burt Sienna glaze and really should have known better but I was trying to use what I had on hand.  It wasn't a horrible look but was waaaay bronzier then I wanted it.  I just kept thinking in my head I should have used a Mocha glaze.

This is how it looked going on...

This is how it looked after drying a few days, very bronze!

I let it sit as it was for the summer until a few weeks ago when I finally went out and bought some Mocha glaze.  For some strange reason I seemed to think I could just add the Mocha right over the Burnt Sienna and all my troubles would be solved.  I probably came to this conclusion after trying to wipe off the Burnt Sienna but it wasn't coming off easily.  I thought to myself, I'll just cover it up then!  So I did, and it certainly wasn't as bronze as it was before but...

This is what I ended up with after two coats of Mocha glaze when I made myself stop and take a breather.  It sooo wasn't turning out the way I had envisioned it in my head!  It was time for a break and to rethink this project.

Hideous!

I really wanted to just add an off white glaze and be done with it.  But I wasn't thrilled with the streaks from the glaze that I left on the lamp either, I left too many!  Since the glaze was not wiping off as easy as I had thought it would I was contemplating starting over.  You know, spray painting the whole lamp and then doing a mocha glaze.  But there had to be an easier way.  Then I saw the lamps that Kim @ Savvy Southern Style did and realized what I needed to do, so I did it and Woohoo!

 I went down to the basement and picked up a fresh piece of sandpaper and went to town.  I sanded and buffed until I got the look I wanted and then added the off white glaze.  Perfecto!  Thank you Kim, sanding was the extra step I had not thought of.  It really gave the lamp a wonderful blended look and helped the final coat of glaze achieve the look I knew it would!  I really need to work on being less impatient!

 

While I like some streaking I wasn't digging the whole lamp being as streaked as I had it before. Not any more though!

I love having the gold shine through again too.  I have lots of gold frames and accents in my dining room  where this lamp is.   The gold of the lamp was never really the problem I just didn't want a solid gold colored lamp.

 

I think it looks aged to perfection now!

And the off white glaze on top softens the whole look beautifully.

Whew!  I am finally well pleased with this project!

I am happy to be joining http://www.betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/ for Metamorphosis Monday.  It's the party where we all get to show off our latest transformations.

Follow the link above for more wonderful stories of change.

Ooops!  I almost forgot..I finished all the yellow pillows for the couches!  This project is not totally finished since I still have the red pillows to do yet, but I thought you'd like to see a little more progress.  Amazing how much easier it is to sew in a room with air conditioning that works.

Looking better, 4 down and 4 more to go! 

Thanks for stopping by, please leave me a note if you do!  Hope you had  a great weekend too!

Mary

Why do I blog?

Have you ever been asked this question?  To a non blogger, the world of blogging seems so strange.  For the most part many people just don't know anything about blogging.  I sure didn't before I started and I would have never guessed myself to be a blogger either.  It is hard to believe that yesterday with my latest table scape post I have done 100 blog posts already. 

 Who knew I would have that much to share?  So, today in honor of this 100 posts mile marker I have decided to do a post explaining why "I" blog.

For each of us blogging holds a different purpose or mindset.  When I first started blogging I too questioned why do this?   What is a blog?  I read somewhere that a blog is like an online diary, but unlike a diary it is one you share, however the diary is primarily about your thoughts.  In the world of blogging, I have discovered there are as many different types of bloggers as there are subjects.  It would also appear that there are also just as many followers as there are subjects.  Followers are those that link together with other blogs to read.  Which brings me to my question to myself why blog?  I certainly didn't want to share my inner most deepest thoughts with the world, although I am sure there are many bloggers who do.  The why for me was easy to answer as I was fortunate enough to be introduced into the world of decorating blogging.  I came across someone who made the extra effort to not only maintain her own blog but invite others into the world of blogging.  Thank you Debbiedoos!

In my decor "blog world" I have found a place of beauty and inspiration like none I've experienced before.  What I did not expect to find was the connection of friendships that have emerged.  The ladies I blog with are some of the most kind and encouraging women I have ever encountered in my life.  We share so many creative ideas, finds, and everyday inspiration to decorate our homes and enhance our surroundings.  We are kind and considerate of each others feelings and styles.  We are boastful in only the most lighthearted way and are always happy to encourage another.  The ladies I blog with are NOT arrogant or haughty though I am sure there are those types out there.  We are not too busy with our own lives to acknowledge and encourage each other at times daily or weekly.  That is what is most humbling to me.  It is amazing how many women are out there like me who long for friendships that simply make time for each other.  I have tried this in real life and have had only a few successful friendships that fit any of the above qualities.  If you have this in real life you are truly blessed because believe it or not there are many people out there who do not. 

For me personally, I also try to keep my blog as "my happy place".  It is my place to escape so to speak, amongst others.  LOL!

  The friendships I have made are real but they do not often share all the details of my life.  Sometimes real life issues do surface, but for the most part I try to keep my blog positive.  Why?  Because in my life the realities of my life such as age, raising my sons, dealing with aging parents, extended family, unemployment (or employment) marriage, maintaining a home can often be riddled with stress.  My blog is where I get to come and relax and unwind and focus on all the pretties.

  Because I have a creative nature that is SO visual, I often like to just look at my own blog and SEE what all I have created.  This helps me improve and enjoy the fruits of my labor.   Of course there is the danger of allowing your blog to dominate your focus and pull you from your priorities as with anything in life.  I really try to maintain a balance but sometimes need a reminder. 

Now for those of you who do not blog let me give you one more insight into the world of blogging.  In my circle of friends we have parties on different days where we all link together and share a similar theme of interest.    What has amazed me the most about these parties is when you participate in these you often come across so many other types of bloggers.  For example I like a party called Metamorphosis Monday where we share all sort of projects or things that we have changed.  Within this link alone, I have seen huge groups of furniture restorers, jewelers, crafters, etc.  In another link Tablescape Thursday, there are huge groups of professional tablescapers, nonprofessional collectors, freelance photographers, and writers.  There are groups of bloggers that follow each other who are gardeners, quilters, knitters, foodies, bookworms,beach combers, political minded, and religious minded to name just a few.  There are even bloggers who have figured out how to make money from their blogs through contacts, sales and supporters.  There are so many different types of blogger groups that I have not even scratched the surface.  It is surely a wide wide world out there in blogland!

If you enjoy writing and sharing your thoughts and ideas with like minded individuals I encourage you to do so.  You can be as open or as closed with your blog as you want to be.  You can post as often or as little as you want.  You manage it so the choices are all yours!  You will be surprised how many people are out there who can share and inspire you in your field of interest, or how much you have to offer them.    I would hope that you find it a place to find the good in life as I have.  There are negative bloggers out there.   It's best to leave them well enough alone!

  So in celebration of my 100th post, I have decided to send out encouragement.  If you find yourself in a place where a blog sounds like something you want to do but are not sure how to start let me help.  I still have so much to learn and like most of us bloggers we are all learning together.  The technical side of blogging comes easier to some of us then others, but getting started it so much easier if you have a friend to help lead you along the way. 

 Finally for all my blogging friends who are so kind enough as to read through this whole post.  God bless you!  You have been such a blessing to me and I hope you have enjoyed some of what I have had to offer too.  It has been fun and such a learning experience so far.  Now you know a little more of my mindset of why I blog with you.  I am excited to think of where the future will lead me in blogland.  Thanks for all the support and for being my followers and my friends!

Have a great weekend Everyone!

Mary