New Projects At Hand

I may have finished all the other projects I've mentioned on here. Maybe I didn't. Ok, it's very highly unlikely.

As I'm sure I have mentioned before, my dining room is big. It's also empty. I have a decent sized dining table that opens up to seat 12 or more. Right now, and most of the time, it sits 6-8. It takes up a lot of room, but just not enough. Thank you, Jesus, for my big dining room! I've had mostly small ones in the past and complained the entire time. Now that I have one I can work with, I won't complain. I'm sure you know by now, if you have read any of my posts, that I also have a fireplace in there. I love it, but it could use an update. That update will come. One day.

All the walls in my kitchen, dining, living room, and hall all run together. That leaves me with little choice in choosing paint color. So, when I painted my living room with the color I HAD to have, I was forced to do all the other rooms the same color. No, you say? I wasn't? Yes I was. The color I chose is very difficult to coordinate. I even tried to get a darker shade of it for other walls, and that didn't even work. The only color that looks great with it is red. I wasn't going to paint this dining room red. I refused. First of all, because the walls are still paneling. I once painted a bedroom of mine with paneling walls, red, and it looked good from afar, but not when you were actually in the room. It looked cheesy. Also, if you have ever painted with red, even with having red based primer, you don't want to do a large room. Trust me on this one. It's too much work!

So, I got a new toy the other day. I got an ipod touch. Yes, I'm in with the times now and do understand the hype. On it, I found a home decorating app. I can choose colors I want on the walls. I've tried it at other places online but never had a picture so easily accessible as the ipod. So, fiddling around with it, I decided to see what the wall where the fireplace is, would look like being an accent wall painted in red. Um, yes. It looked faboo. Nice and warm and with the fireplace, cozy. So, I'm thinking that'll do. I can paint the rest of the walls a neutral color that will tie in together with the red and the color I have in the living room. Tada! Yeah, I can see it now...buying another can of paint that will sit under my carport with the rest of the gallon gang because it didn't work.

I also have a major problem with window treatments. I feel confident enough to pat myself on the back when it comes to interior decorating, but windows give me fits every time. The bedrooms are the only rooms in this house with lots of windows. My dining room and kitchen together are fairly large for just two rooms and all they have are the window above the kitchen sink and double patio doors in my dining room. Oh, and two light fixtures to brighten both rooms. They try, but they just can't do the work. My patio doors are Pella, which have the blinds inside the glass. Neat idea, but terrible when it comes to wanting to decorate. For me anyway.

I FINALLY found something that suits me for window treatments for the patio doors. Yes, I did. Drum roll please....

I love this style! Mine won't be these colors, but definitely the design. No doubt. I want to add drapes, but not sure yet. Under it will hide the screen to the overhead projector we use for school. See, now that's SMART.

I also have my desk in my dining room. I can not like it. I'm not one to enjoy looking at a computer as part of my decor. Clayton built a computer armoire for me a few years ago, but it was finished in oak. I can not like oak. I loved it at the time, but times change...as often as my styles. So, I painted it a chocolate brown. It was pretty, even though Clayton cringed at the thought of me painting oak. I know. I know. I painted it again to match another decorating change I had. This time, I painted it black. Partially. It's been hiding in my craft room since. I do believe it's time to pull it out and completely strip it. This time, I'm going to stain it in an ebony stain, which matches all my furniture in these main rooms of my house. The thought of all that work makes me cringe. I think it'll be much, much better than the desk (which was a temporary thing that has become permanent for over a year now. Such an eyesore.

Oh, and just for kicks, and to add more pictures to this entirely too long blog, I have to share with you something I bought myself at Hobby Lobby the other day. I have no idea where I'm going to put it yet, but there are many places to choose from.

Shhhh, pay no mind to the dustbunnies. They are still sleeping. They've been dormant for a while now.

I don't know when I'll start this little project. I'd like to this week, but I'm so far behind on things around here, including schooling with the girls. Education is much more important than having a dining room as an eyesore. Then again, can I really concentrate on teaching when I teach in this distracing dining room? Priorities, priorities. Inny Minnie Miny Moe....

Time With Family

We just celebrated Morgan's 18th birthday this weekend. It was such a joy to be around all her family. It always is. This family is truly an ideal one. The type of family who loves unconditionally, shows no favorites, and are there in the time of need for each and every member. I was legally divorced out of it 15 years ago, but they will always be considered family to me. Each and every one of them hold a special place in my heart and I love them dearly.

Morgan's party was a success. We got started a little late, but it didn't matter. It lasted for hours and we were able to get videos and pictures that I know Morgan will always cherish. Her gifts were spectacular; each of them fitting Morgan and her personality perfectly. Aunt Iris had Aunt Debbie make Morgan a scrapbook out of pictures she had of her when she was little. As soon as I saw it, I shed tears. A little embarrassing, now that I think about it, but I can't help it. I miss those big blue eyes and perfect blonde hair. Along with her gifts, she collected $200 in cash.  She also received some beautiful jewelry I'll be borrowing in the near future. ;)

Aunt Debs, Sandra, and I worked on setting everything up the day before the party, but the next day is when all the real work was in order. There was help from everyone, but the most help came from Aunt Connie, Uncle Carl, and Aunt Debbie. Aunt Connie tried her hand at making fruit bouquets and did an AWESOME job, to say the least.

I have to give Uncle Carl the credit for the pirouettes added in there. I didn't know he had it in him. Nice touch! Aunt Connie, thank you sooooo much for all you did! You are truly wonderful! I just wanted you guys to come down for the party, and you went above and beyond the call of duty. I love you!

I didn't get very many pictures, and I don't know why! My mind was just scattered, I guess, but there were others who got pictures too, which I can't wait to see. Allison captured this on video, which makes me laugh everytime I see it.

Emily met Uncle Carl a few years ago.  At that time, he had bounced her on his knee and sang a song to her.  She has never forgotten it or him and looked forward to seeing him again at the party.  Even though he seemed to have forgotten the lyrics, Aunt Connie stepped in and reminded him.  Emily got what she was looking forward to and I got it on video.

I think she tired him out.  Uncle Carl keeps everything fun.

Let's not forget Uncle Dudley.  He's just as fun, but he is more on the mischievous side.  As we were cleaning up, I heard him giggling as he was handing out helium balloons to any takers.  After Valentine's Day this year, my kids have already had enough helium in their lungs to last them until adulthood.  That didn't stop them from resisting his dares.

I thoroughly enjoyed the party and visiting with the family.  This family brings out the best in a person and I'm so grateful I'm still considered part of it.

Homeeverything.com

I bought my dream washing machine a couple years ago from Sam's Club. My washer had went out and Clayton wanted to get me the one I wanted. They didn't have a dryer and to be honest, we probably didn't have enough funds at the time to get a dryer to match. With Clayton and I both being an "if it's not broke, don't fix it" kind of people, we didn't make it priority to get the matching dryer right away. When we moved into this house, I wanted one fast. I couldn't find it. Anywhere. Except online. Now, I don't have a problem, never have, ordering anything online. I do it monthly. (love those packages, remember?!) Around Christmas, I found the website Homeeverything.com. No shipping, no taxes, what else could you ask for? They had my dryer! Oh how getting it for $200 less seemed so perfect! I ordered it January 1, 2011. After a few run arounds with the company trying to find out when they were going to ship it, I finally received confirmation yesterday that it was finally shipped. Still, had to wait 24 hours for the tracking number. Now that I have the tracking number, my much coveted dryer has an estimated delivery date of March 7, 2011. REALLY? I don't really want to complain, but, ok, yeah I do. Just be advised not to EVER purchase anything from this company. After all my run arounds, I decided to read customer reviews on this company. Not good.

Living, learning, and patiently waiting on my matching dryer.

Progress, Already?

Unusual for me to see progress so soon in something I'm doing, but I am now.

This weekend is all set up for Morgan to go to her MawMaw's house. It'll be good for them and good for us to get down to the nitty gritty in her room. I also called the former Woodville Inn to find out if they have a room to rent. I still have to check it out to see if it'll be large enough, but they do have one. It's not the ballroom though. Just as I figured, it no longer exists. Such a shame. The room they do rent out is $150 for the evening, day, whatever. Not too shabby, unless the room is. I'm going to check it out tomorrow.

I also bought more things for her room. Cheap things. I bought some boxes that will fit nicely in the cubbies I still have to go to Ikea to get. I didn't spend anything but pennies on them because, yep, they are cardboard as well. I just picked up some muslin to cover them with to match the vanilla color of the futon and soon to be duvet cover. So, those will sort of look like canvas boxes but with colorful fabric around the rim. Paint. I bought paint. It's not like I don't literally have about 30 gallons of it crammed in every hidden corner I can find in my house. None was the right color though. Hopefully this will be.

I don't know when I'm going to go to Ikea to get the shelves. It's supposed to snow here tomorrow night and all day Friday. Can I get an AMEN??!! I may have to go tomorrow before everything gets iced over. I can live with that.

These are the shelves I'm getting:

I'm getting various sizes to go where she needs them to be in her room. I LOVE these shelves. I have them in my laundry room (where my covered boxes are) and in my living room to take up an empty wall. They are very versatile and just POP in a room. I just love them.

Since I messed up my sleeping schedule last night, I'm about to get to work on covering those cardboard boxes so I have more time to do the room itself this weekend.

Red-Bulling it.

Gathered Thoughts

Walmart. The only thing open this early in the morning. I went. I saw. I conquered. Well, a little anyway. I won't trash talk the "W" place too much, but just know, I really like Target. I wish there was one less than an hour from me, but there isn't, so today, it's Walmart.

Morgan has always been indecisive about how she wants to decorate her room. All her life, as soon as she would decide and I would start, she'd change her mind. Needless to say, her rooms have never been completely finished from the time she was old enough to give her opinion. It just isn't as easy these days as it was when her room was a nursery decorated with bunnies. (I just had a visual of the past. *tears*)

Let me give you a little history of mine and Morgan's bouts with her room...when she was younger, I wanted her room to be bright colors and teenish looking. She wanted a more sophisticated look. I didn't like that because I wanted to have fun with the colors and really make her room the coolest hangout ever. I didn't want the boring sophisticated look. Afterall, she could have that when she was older, right? NOW, I would love for her to have a sophisticated room with a contemporary style to it. What does she want? COLOR. Bright color! Well, I'm not arguing because she has at least decided on something!

When we first moved into this house, I bought her all sorts of colorful things for her room, planning to really make it fun and funky, but fitting to her age. We bought quite a few throw pillows, blankets, etc. I painted her walls. I didn't finish painting her walls. That's another story, though. She really likes the bulletin boards they sell at PB Teen. I agree, but not with the price. No biggy to make, though. Here is an example of one at PB Teen:

I found quilting fabric pieces this morning that I will use to make her one:

I will possibly also use some metal sheets, white board squares, pegboard, and the corkboard uncovered, depending on how big I decide to make it.

She's also always wanted an alcove around her bed with padded walls. I'm not sure how to go about the alcove part, but I bought the foam just in case I figure it out. (I will):

Now, here comes the tricky part. Back when we were buying stuff for her room, we also bought a futon to make one side of her room a lounging area. It's a vanilla color and is very cute! We put the colorful fuzzy throw pillows on it and it just looked adorable, even with it being a vanilla color instead of, say, white. Since the color of the futon isn't something you would normally see with bright, bold colors like she has chosen, it has made it very difficult for me to find her bedding to match. Everything is white or black, making that futon the only item in her room that color. It just stands out to me. I think I may have found some inspiration though. This is a white comforter, but I can make it a vanilla color and I do believe it will be good. Maybe.:

I am loving those stools at the end of the bed too, by the way.

So, now I am at least at a start with ideas.

I'm going to try to go to Ikea today if I have time. It's been too long.

Scrambled Mind

I can't sleep. I don't even want to. I have a million things running through my mind at once tonight...um this morning. I wish Ikea was open.

I'm planning a party for Morgan's 18th birthday coming up. 18! I want to rent a place to have it, but I don't know of any around here anymore. What was once the Woodville Inn is now a "not so pleasant" place to stay when desperate measures call. They used to have a ballroom, which is where my senior prom was held. That would be nice, but I'm not sure it even still exists. Going to make a phone call tomorrow to see.

She does have a big surprise for her for her birthday, but in case she reads this, (I don't know) I'm not going to say what it is. It's going to be quite awesome, which is one of the reasons I want to rent a place to begin with.

I'm also planning to really make her bedroom a nicer place. She's a junk collector and even though I can't get rid of the junk, I do want a place for her to store it. She's her dad made over with that sort of thing. Can you say packrat? So, another phone call I'll be making tomorrow is to her Maw Maw to see if she will hide Morgan for me this weekend while Allison, Emily and I redo her room. As long as Morgan is here, it'll never get done. I do have my work cut out for me if I do it this weekend. I just want it done before her party.

I sure hope my plans aren't in vain. I can already feel her dad not coming and that depresses me. I want her entire family to be here! I'll try to remain happy about it and keep all the negative at bay.

Well, I'm off to do some planning and shopping online for her room. Wish me luck. There isn't much time!

Morgan Elaine, Easter 1994:

Project 365 Day 32

Well, I didn't take a picture today to have one for Day 32. When I realized how to get my camera working, I found this picture of my neice on my card and edited it the other day, so I guess this will work. I'm sending it in to the lab I use to have a competition print or canvas printed up for my sister for her birthday. It's an old picture, but it's still so precious.

Looks a little too black and white here, but it does have a hint of color.

This is the original print: