Is there a party in the house?

Some fun facts about moi.

I'm almost a middle child.  Second of four.  That means that if I'm not the center of attention I entertain myself!!

Hard to believe, I know.

I love skirts.  I wear them nearly every single day.  Wanna know why?

Practical reason:

My bum, hips and waist just ain't what they used to be.  Yoga pants I love.  Have for at least 20 years!  So if I'm wearin' them I put a skirt on top!  Call me weird.  I love ya anyway!

I don't like my bum sticking out any more.  I used to.  Funny how that happens.

Non-practical reason:

I live in a fantasy world.  I know you're shocked!  I love the 1800's - not all the violence, famine and war.  No.  But the regalia!  I swoon over it!  Just watch a period romance.  Trust me, you may want to put a skirt on, too!

I like feeling like a lady.  I don't always look like one.  But the feeling is what I'm talking about here! When I take the dog for a walk I pretend that I'm Eliza Bennett walking the countryside of Derbyshire.  Please don't leave, k?

Also, I like to twirl.  Twirling happens only when in a skirt.  I believe twirling to be impossible in pants.

See!

I use coconut oil in my hair.  I have this kind of hair that should be really curly because it's really frizzy, not curly at all.  Wavy. And fine.  I slather the stuff on. It's really smooth and melts in your hands.  It works wonders for the skin too.  Dry, we are here.  Flakey dry.  Coconut oil is our friend.  Google it.  It has sadhfa;fa;dfj;aidfj;ajf in it, or something like that, that over-the-counter creams/lotions do not.  Staying power is what I call it.  My skin will literally stay soft and flake-less til I take my next shower - which may or may not be the next day.  And I buy coconut oil in the grocery store. A ha!  Yes I do!  A jar of it lasts a really long time, and it's about $3.99.  It looks like crisco and feels like it too.  The scent, however, gets me every time!  Smells like a warm breezy tropical island.  And it makes me happy!  

I homeschool my two boys.  Ages, 9 and 6.  Never in a milliongazillion years would I EVER think that I would be doing that. We do books.  Oh yeah, but then, I can't stand it (actually, it's the sitting that kills me).  So we shake it up a bit.  

History lesson?

Wake up in London.  A fry-up for breakfast, afternoon tea & crumpets and converse the whole day with a British accent.  My boys do British better than I do.  (I don't know what that means!)

Math lesson?

Empty those piggy banks!  Let's go shopping in the basement for some "new" toys!  They can barter with the ones in their rooms for the same value, of course!

Phys Ed?

Get those hiking boots on, we're heading out to the hills as Native American warriors - flint stone arrows to be made!

I eat Ghiradelli dark chocolate chips EVERY SINGLE DAY.  And I'm happier because of it. Thank you.

I have ALWAYS been this weird unique!  Since I can remember - in the high chair is when it all began...spaghetti on my head or something like that.  

I do not feel my age, nor do I believe that I am a 46 year old woman.  Nope.  I refuse that as a reality.  Thank you very much!

(except for when it dawns on me that I am and I get really nervous about it)

I don't watch television or read the news. It hurts my spirit way too much.  I do indulge now and then in PBS Masterpiece Theater or As Time Goes By, but that's it!  Just about everyone I know thinks I'm extremely odd because of this fact.  Hmm?

I wear scarfs/scarves.  I love them.  I make them.  I buy them.  I take soft silky shirts and tie them 'round my neck.  I use scraps of fabric, no hems, and wrap 'em round.  I don't know why exactly.  Do I have to?

This is the man of my dreams.  EC, is what I call him here.  He's one of the greatest men.  The love of my life. He would lay down his life for a friend. I've seen him do it. 

I cannot believe that he fell in love with me some 18 years ago!

I gave birth to these sweeties! My. My. My.  How does God do it?  All this love flowing....just pierces my soul!

This is all because of Vee at Everyday Kings! & her Honest Scrap Award!

xoxo

MONDAY'S Marvelous Mayhem

You all know where I've been.  You all know what I've been through.

Now it's time to dance!  I'm overjoyed with the outcome of our new room here!  I had to give it a name!  Ladies, meet "the coat room"!

I made the sign in the middle.  The tin mirrors on the left and right use to hang in my bedroom.  They fit here perfectly! I attached a tassel for the light so my boys can reach it.

Here's what "it" looked like before!

You helped me SO much!

Here's what we see when we walk down the hall now!  Lovely to our eyes!

Which version do you prefer?  I cannot decide.  Left or Right?

Took the very large black bench out of here.  Painted the shoe shelf - heirloom white.

Hung some photographs on the blank wall

(Doors in Provence, from my friend, Abigail's trip!  Thank you Abbie!)

Photo of a balcony in Provence!

EC's mom sat in this stool playing her beloved organ!

Rug on left came from the kitchen.

Found this in the basement.

Bought these "step flashing" things.  My 6yo used his hammer to bang 'em up a bit!  I had fun, too!

then I printed out these and painted them black

Then glued them to the flashing and stuck everything to the piece of paneling!

Found these groovy sticky things for the corners.

And hung the sign.

How has the coat room changed our lives?

Well, for one, I have gained an enormous amount of confidence in my ability to transform the mundane into something useful and creative.  Thanks to you.  Seriously.

And the amount of clutter is diminishing.  Not gone, but slowly everyone is getting used to putting their shoes in their proper place and hanging up there jackets.  My boys could not reach the coat hook before and the closet was stuffed, making it difficult to get anything in or out.  Now they run in and hang up their hats and jackets.  (after I shout at them to remind them, of course!)  

There is freedom to walk to and fro in this area.  A big score because it was horribly crowded before - doors opening this way and that, shoes all over the place, everyone bumping into each other. Now, there's the "ahh" factor.  More space.  More grace.

But, there is still the front door?

It's primed and ready to paint (see the blue tape at the bottom?).  'Cept I'm having the hardest time trying to figure out the color.  I'm leaning toward a putty color.  See it there on the door?  I was going to paint it yellow and then my hormones got realigned.  All is well now!


Have a lovely evening!

SATURDAY NIGHT THERE'S A PARTY GOING ON.

EVERYONE'S INVITED!

Buttons!

This was my first button.  It's my kitchen table in my breakfast room.  I like it.  But I didn't love it.  I took the picture.  Keith, being the computer wizard, put it in htmlspeoruautdsdrjtatahasdfjsdfjld format and put in on my blog!  High fives, Keith!!!

Keith is Amy's son.  Amy, from ALL THINGS HOME, has become one of my dear blogging friends. She offered her son's computer expertise in helping me set this little sweetie up!  I could NOT have done this without them!  They are the sweetest family!  I just want to hug and kiss them for their kindness and generosity!  Smack!  So this little button traveled a bit.  Such kindness from you gals here in blog land.  Taking me with you!  

Then along came Polly from MAKE MINE BEAUTIFUL.  She was playing around with her graphic stuff and sent this to me.  Who are these lovely people?  Could they all be any nicer?  I'm melting in their generosity!  I fell. Completely in love with this.  It spoke to me.  It spoke of me.  Everything about it.  The colors.  The whimsy. The swirls and scrolls.  Even the explanation mark after my name.  Because I'm always font screaming!

So this is the new me.  

She's over there on the side if you'd like to take her with you!  I love visiting friends!

Btw, big reveal of the entry way is on Monday's Madness Maddening Marvelous Moving Mischief Makeover!  See you then!

MONDAY MAKEOVER-is something done yet?

Yes.

There are things that are done.

The entry way will be finished by the end of the week.

I've had quite the experience.

Here are a few sneak peaks:

Notice my apron?  And no power tools.  All by hand, thank you very much.  And my wrist is aching like nobody's business!! 

EC thought he'd get in on this and take some shots of me in the closet!  Working away!

A very special find in the basement!  Oh  my!

I was going to be putting the finishing touches on today.

But Ginger called.

So we went here instead.

You understand, don't you?

Sometimes you just gotta get out of the house!

Here's a little change up before I go off to bed.

Remember this next door curb find?

I think she feels better this way.

Don't you?

Have the most wonderful evening!!!

A SOCK AND A PAINT CAN

Every single day, in my life, is different.

Nothing stays the same.

This day I hate to paint.

So I thought I'd point out a couple of positive things.

I saw on a How To Video on painting that you should wear little white socks when you paint.

This way no shoes get harmed during the painting process.

I liked that idea.  If you step in paint, you'll feel it and can whip that sock off before you walk across your wool rug.  

See?

I did not walk on my rug

But I don't like to paint walls, this day.  I hate cutting.  Dipping the brush in the paint.  Wiping it off.  All of it.  Isn't this weird?  You all love doing this stuff.  I have proof.  I follow something like 107 blogs.  You all, 'cept for that wild woman down south, love to paint.  Or at least that's the impression you've given me.  WHAT AM I DOING HERE?

STARTIN' TO FEEL LIKE THIS SONG:

"One of these things is not like the other, which one is not the same..."

I changed my mind about yellow, too.  I don't like yellow.  I WAS enamored with yellow the other day.  Then I did this to the closet.

And I didn't like it.

So, since I don't like to paint, I HAVE to paint this closet AGAIN.  And, if you read my last post, well, let's just say, I'm in the throws this week.

oh my gosh, Help me! (see video)

So, while EC took the boys to karate yesterday I ran, literally, and got my cutting brush, my primer, the roller, everything and in an hour, while on the phone with one of my best friends, rolled the tiny room white!  It's primed right now.  Completely.  Utterly.  White.  I haven't a clue what color I'm going to paint in there.  But it's not Sun Yellow. Can you believe what a complete decorating nincompoop (that's actually a word.  it didn't come up in spell check?) I am?  Don't answer.  Be nice.  I'm in the throws, OK?

I was trying to do this space around a piece of fabric that I have loved for 20 some years (gross exaggeration).  I was re-doing this entire entry way based on it.  And yellow is not my life.  

Good news, though.  I realized something about myself.  Go with what you love.  Don't be radical.  Do what you love and the rest will set you free!  It did. 

After I had that primer on the walls.  I felt calm.  Ok, it's white.  But I was all calm and happy.  And I'm in the throws!  Calm doesn't usually happen in the throws.  Well, you know it doesn't.  But action does.  That's how this all happened.  Another lesson:  Got work to do?  Do it while in the throws!  I've gotten so much done that I've decided to do all my re-doings during my time (if you will).

So I came up with other ideas and I'm in love.  Does this happen to us?  When we start, you know, decorating/changing up our dwelling place?

On a happy note:  This kind of paint I love.

Tie dyed number 1, by my 6yo

Me, painted by my 9yo

Gotta go do the entry way now.  Somebody pray!