Easy Coach Light Renew

After several years of exposure to  the elements and many powerwashings later, our outdoor coach lights on the backside of our house were looking pretty shabby.  Since I really like these little lights I decided they were worth the effort to repaint.  It is still a work in progress as I only finished one this weekend.  I am linking up with MM today and hope that you will be inspired by mine and many other blogs here at....

Look closely and you will see how badly they were flaking paint, Yuck!

I thought I could remove the glass easy enough, but that was not the case.  This is what I used.  First I gave it a good sand job.  Then after several minutes of taping the glass with painters tape and a huge dose of patience I was ready for the spray paint. 

Now it's one down and one to go and everything is back to looking fresh and new again!  Well, umm, atleast the lights are looking fresh and new again! 

What a difference, I can't believe I let them go this long.

Well, that's all I've got for now, until next time.  Thanks for stopping by!

I love all comments so don't be shy!

Garage Sale Saturday Finds

Wow!  Today I was a BIG spender!  I spent a whole $4.50 TOTAL.  I don't know what came over me but I just could not stop myself.  Haha!  This is definately turning out to be a good day.    When my husband announced this morning he was going to one of our local church garage sales my first thought was, WHY, it's almost 11:00 already!  However I am not one to turn down a good garage sale when it's convenient.  Truth is I love garage sales, I just don't love getting up bright and early and rushing out to "possibly" score a deal.  I am not a morning person at all and fit more into the category of a leisure antique store browser.  Anyway, off I went expecting to find that all the good stuff was long gone.  To my suprise that was not the case today,  here is a sampling on my loot.

Yep, that's right!  I purchased all of this today for only $4.50.  That is 5 groups of stuff, or 20 individual pieces.   How ever you look at it, it still looks pretty good huh?

One can never have to many flower vases.  These two had such a nice simple shape and size.  I just couldn't pass up these for $.25 each, could you?

Another $.25 each and I purchased these two books.  I can't remember if I've seen the movie to the book on top or not, but I remember it was a good one and will be a nice way to spend a lazy afternoon one day.

For $1.00, I purchased (4) linen placemats and (4) linen napkins.  They are a pretty off white linen with 2 shades of green on the leaves and vines and  mixed shades of red and rose on the flower embroidery.  Not a stretch to know why I would love these if you know my former employment was in a local embroidery shop.  I like to think I know a little about this particular find, and trust me this is the good stuff.  Sweet!

And I almost passed these by, but then I did a double take and scooped them up.  At $.50 for the lot of four it was a steal.  These adorable little porcelain ducks will look so cute on the table this easter.  I can't wait!

Finally, the DEAL of the day was these beautiful green plates.  $2.00 for all four and not a chip or scratch on them!  Another tidbit about me, I love green!  Especially this shade of green.  The plates are called "Barrarte" and made in Portugal.  They have such a decorate edge and simple raised wheat leaves with just a hint of brown.  I know I will use these often, especially in my fall settings.

I'm soooo excited about my wonderful finds!    I'm not linked into anything today because I don't think there is a Garage Sale Saturday link.  Remember I am still new to blogging so feel free to let me know if there is such a fun link.  That would be exciting!  I think I did pretty good today, don't you?  Well, I hope your Saturday is going as fabulous as mine is.  Have a great weekend!

Easter Snippets

Pulled out the Easter decor yesterday.  It's still a work in progress, with much to be improved upon.   I thought  I'd share a few snippets of fun for Tabletop Tuesday.  As with most things with me, one thing leads to another,  I off I went on a napkin tangent.  I have several napkins I really love!  Isn't it such a shame  to keep them all stored away until we use them.  So I played with a few ideas to display them.  Please enjoy other vignettes here.. at http://astrollthrulife.blogspot.com/2010/03/5th-table-top-tuesday-more-spring.html

This is my pretty little egg I won when I used to sell Avon, it just sings spring to me!  The little bunny belonged to my husbands mother that I inherited.

This cute little bird egg was a cheap find at one the dollars stores a few years back but I love the colors and the open design and of course " the bird ".  I love birds in decor!

On my dining room buffet I added my little handmade egg candy dish that I made as a child in girls scouts, and this sweet little dish I picked up at a antique store for $1.00.

On the dining table I put out these precious little bunnies, more inherited pieces from my husbands family.  They aren't very big and add just a hint of spring.

As I said earlier, one thing leads to another, when I moved these napkins off the dining table, I put them on this dish on the buffet table.  This sparked my last idea....

The floral napkin vase!  I was working on ideas for a floral arrange that needs a few more pieces.  While the vase sat empty I kept looking over at my other napkins and thinking how much I like having them out and how I would like to display more.  And that's when it hit me to make a floral napkin vase!  It will probably be replaced with my arrangement soon but for now, what fun!

Thanks for taking a peek and leave me a message if you please!

MM - Kitchen Island Redo

I am participating in Metamorphasis Monday today for the first time ever.  Please take a moment to check out my blog and others like it showing before and after photos here at the following link...


We have lived in our home for almost 7 years now this coming May.  I love my kitchen with it's very large kitchen island.  When we purchased the house from the previous owners the kitchen island was painted white and looked much like it does in the photos below, with the exception of the current hardware and countertop.

I have always thought this island needed a little more PIZAZZ! 

 From the day we bought this house, I suggested to my husband we should add more details with moulding and really make it fantastic!    He agreed, but, like most people, other priorities in life take over.

  The first thing I did was to change out all hardware in the entire kitchen.   I fell in love with these wrought irons drawer pulls for $1.99 each from, The Closeout Company.   That was a deal considering I needed 25 drawer pulls total.  For the knobs I chose glass in a crystal ball shape, and  I only needed 29 of those!

 

 Soon more time passed and in a haste to do something I painted our island the green you see pictured here.

 I came across a $1.00 pint size can of "Oops" paint at lowes.  That's a custom mix that someone had made that they did not like and returned.  I always monitor the "Oops" shelves for colors I like and great deals on paint.  I have been known to buy paint longgg before I know what I'm going to use it on.  Really!    Anyway, painting my island was a welcome change that I enjoyed for a time. 

Eventually, we had to replace a cracked sink in the original solid surface counter top.  A solid surface counter top has a moulded porcelin sink and can be quite costly to repair or replace. Big $$$!  After checking out all options and to my extreme delight would you believe it really wasn't that much more to do granite. 

As you can see our large L shaped Island was quite nice and the center hub of our family life

 but still I wanted more...so

After many years of waiting... my husband and I finally found the right time to complete this project.  He was the carpenter and I was the painter and our Island now finally looks finished to me.   I love the details!

Because our kitchen has a cottage feel, we knew beadboard would be a perfect fit.  What do you think?  Isn't is just soo inviting?

For those of you who are on RMS, yes, you have seen this before.  Sorry for the repeat but it's my most recent project completion and I really wanted to use it for my first MM.  Yay!

I do hope to find another pair of barstools in black with a different look and style but that's probably another MM in itself.  Stay tuned.

Now completed, I love how the black countertop feels new to me again against the contrast of the white paint.  I especially love how warm and welcoming this Island feels the minute you see it.  Everyone always gathers here and we are happy to be able to finally say we did it! 

Well, that's the story of my Island redo, hope you enjoyed the history of my long wait.  Some things really are worth waiting for!   Leave a comment if you please and let me know what you think? 

The first buds of Spring

Here in our part of the world spring has officially arrived right on time.  We have been very busy transplanting bushes, raking leaves and pruning trees.  Our yard is one of abundant growth despite the hard red clay that lies beneath.    Even before all the leaves have been cleared away the first buds of spring are bursting forth from the ground.

A single daffodil clump jumps up to be amongst the first early arrivals

Tiny buds are waking up rather rapidly on the hydrangeas eager to celebrate

My Tiger Lilys are quite an agressive bunch along the walk.  They are always the first buds to pop up and alert me to the chores that lie ahead.  I have learned through the years to clear the debris from their bed quickly or it's difficult to clean within days.  Rarely do they wait on my timing before they rapidly advance...just like a tiger, huh? 

The sweetest newest arrivals of spring perch themselves here every year.   Carolina wrens love our home, delaying the spring cleaning and power washing to my husbands delight.

Finally, out of the garage comes the asparagus ferns that I overwintered this year.  With my first trip to the garden center I added these pretty white flowers.  Sorry they are also new to me and I have at this moment already forgotten their names.

The first of many geraniums that will catch my eye and fill my pots.

It is true I am a summer girl, through and through, but who doesn't love the firsts of spring?  One of my favorite things about spring is planning and planting my flower groupings.  In this first of many planters I planted rose coleus, margarita potatoe vines, and purple glow million bells.  Soon this planter will be overflowing as it soaks up the hot summer sun.  Another very special firsts we will be celebrating this spring is the arrival of a new baby girl to my neice.  There are many reasons to celebrate spring but mostly for me,  it is the reawakening and the newness that brings so much joy after a long winter.  What brings you joy in the spring?   Leave a comment and share your spring favorites if you please.

Missing the Boat

Happy St. Patricks Day! In our house we will be celebrating lightly, by wearing green so as not to get pinched today. Did you know that pinching someone for not wearing green is an American tradition? Much like the celebrating of St. Patricks day itself is largely American. I have always thought it funny how many Irish ancestors come out of the wood work on this day. My husband has always claimed Irish ancestry but who really knows. Our last name sounds like it could be Irish, but is more likely English. We do have redheads in our family as well, so there you go and of course we love our beer! Long story short, I can't help but feel like I have missed the boat on this holiday. I have been busy learning how to blog and haven't planned for all the cooking and decorating I feel largely lacking to celebrate this holiday. Now if you asked me have I always took this holiday so seriously, I would say, " NO! " But since signing on to my latest obsession, I am blown away with all the beautiful table scapes and delicious meals and desserts displayed before my eyes. For those of you who are not aware, blogging seems to connect a vast network of extremely talented women. I feel somewhat like Alice in Wonderland who has just landed in the middle of The Mad Hatters Tea Party. I overwhelmed with the opportunity's to join in to such fun. A small sampling of activities would include, tea party Tuesdays, (of all sorts), Outdoor Wednesdays, table scape Thursday, foodie Fridays..the lists go on an on. It's all virtual eye candy with delightful commentary. I can hardly decide where to jump in first. I can tell my husband will be pleased to see me getting much more use out of my camera. Thank goodness, I have already learned to use my camera! I can tell I'm set for quite an adventure for sure. Well, I guess I'm off to salvage this holiday and see if I can scrounge up some Irish fare for supper. One thing is for sure, I do not like to miss the boat!

Blogging is like Sailing

Today I'm starting a new adventure...blogging! I find myself excited about the unknown for which I am about to sail forth. Yet, I cannot help but feel the usual sense of fear at the unpredictable. As I was pondering my first blog and my choice of user names, I kept coming back to sailing. Sailing is a big part of my life right now but not so much as it is with most sailors I know. You see I am a sailor by default, I am married to one. I am a casual crew member. I only enjoy cruising in the big safer boats, mostly because I can move about and navigate easier within. The smaller vessels leave my arms and legs too sore and cramped and fearful of the lake upon which we sail. Our lake is filled with many other types of watercraft that in one swift moment can unwittingly change our course forever. Of course there are rules and guidelines to prevent such an unwelcome change of events. Unfortunately, there are times when the unpredictable happens and you learn to shift your sails. Because as we have all heard...shifts happen!
And so is the story of my life at this point, shift happened. I find myself with more time to explore the unknown. To go into uncharted territory. I have always enjoyed writing but haven't done so in quite awhile, and only as an amateur. Like my sailing life, I write as a casual member and participant. Please be kind in your comments and or suggestions as not to unwittingly alter my course. I hope to share the joys and thoughts of my life with others of like interests. Unlike other sailors I am also what is called a fair-weather sailor. This means I don't enjoy getting into rough weather. As a writer I'm hoping to avoid that on here too. I hope to share the beauty of the ride with the wind in my sails, and mostly to sail simply. As with most things, I still have so much to learn. But always learn best after jumping right in and setting sail. And so here I go...