NEEDING SOME FLORIDA SUNSHINE!!

I need the sunshine of Florida NOW!!

Do any of you remember that TV commercial from years ago. . . a little boy sitting at the kitchen table, snow visible out the window and telling his parents. . . "I need it bad!!" Remember? The commercial was for Florida. I think the kid must have been in Michigan! It's been a long. . .cold. . . and snowy winter here.

Well, I'm flying out on Saturday, the 14th, Valentine's Day, for Florida with our youngest daughter!! We're off to visit my parents for an entire week. Up here in the north some school districts have what we call "winter break." I think it's so we can visit someplace warm. I heard Florida had a cold streak last week, but my mom called me this morning (anxious for our visit) and to tell me it's warming up!

My hubby and I are planning on celebrating Valentine's Day on Friday the 13th (did you know that this Friday is Friday the 13th for those of you who worry about such stuff LOL). His gift to me is Florida!! Yeah!! He'll be working while I'm in Florida and our oldest is in college so it's just our youngest this trip with me.

We'll have some nice mother, daughter, granddaughter bonding time. And THAW!!!

Blessings. . . until next time,

CARDINAL LOVE!!

For the BIRDS!!


Don't you just adore this cute, little chubby pair of cardinals? They make me smile each and every time I pass by them! They are sitting here and patiently waiting for Spring. Well, here in Michigan they'll have a long wait. February and March are sure to bring snow. . . hopefully, by April we'll have at least the start of Spring.

So. . . until then, I just keep plugging along with my home projects. I really don't mind winter much at all. I get so much done in this "down time" as I call it. Cleaning out the closets, basement, under bathroom cabinets, purge, straighten, donate and organize. Baking, cooking and trying new recipes. That's my role right now.

What about you? What do you do to make it through the long winter months? That is if you live in a state with long winter months :)

Blessings. . . until next time,

MASTER BEDROOM BATHROOM ~ COMPLETED!!

It's finally finished!!

. . .Way back in October this project began. I painted our master bathroom a lovely Benjamin Moore Aganthus Green, then went on to start painting our master bedroom. Remember my accident? I slipped, hurt my back, spent a little time in the hospital, then physical therapy, etc., etc., etc. Then the holidays hit; Thanksgiving, CHRISTmas, New Years. I've just now had a chance to finished up this room. A good winter project I thought. Cold, snow and staying inside and finishing up some things around here. I just finished the drapery topper on Thursday evening and hung it up. So, come with me for a little tour.

The above picture is entering our bathroom from the master bedroom. The clock was from from T.J. Maxx on clearance for $10, the Eiffel Tower lamp ~ a garage sale find for $5 this summer. I still need to spray paint the light switch cover and the toilet paper holder satin black, but that will have to wait until spring for warmer weather.



Rotate slightly to the left and you will see the Jacuzzi tub (with the towels hanging up that I embroidered on my little workhorse embroidery machine). The towel holder is simply two corbels, which I had my hubby cut a piece of PVC pipe to place in between. I must have had these corbels for almost 20 years, honestly. They have been used for everything you can image. Shelves, drapery rod holders, bookends and every color you can image too; mauve, green, gold. I sprayed painted it all black and made a towel rack for my tubby soaks. I also recovered the stool with black and white toile fabric. It was a garage sale find 8 years ago and has been painted and recovered a few times to fit in with my latest bathroom decor. There are three pillars the far one on the left is not in the picture. I purchased the three of them for $15 a few years ago at a garage sale and repainted them. The pictures above the towel holder are from Marshalls. The faux shrub/plants were 2 for $5 at a garage sale. They needed repainting, which I did. The little urn (soap keeper) was $4 at a garage sale.

Here is the drapery topper I completed Thursday evening. I used the same fabric and trim fabric that I used in our master bedroom. A mounting board makes a nice, neat looking treatment; my husband is always willing to cut a length of pine to my requirements. He knows how much money I save us by sewing our own draperies and I know how much he saves us by doing so many home projects himself. We compliment each other very well I guess :) and for that, we're blessed!!
Rotate a bit more to the left and the little room attached is the "Commode Room." Well, I'm not exactly sure what to call it ~ so it's our commode room LOL!! It contains the potty and a linen closet. The door can be closed for privacy :) Over the potty are two cute little glass floating shelves found for $1/each at a garage sale this fall. The metal bracket was white and I sprayed them black satin for a better fit. They look like they are just floating in the air. I really like them in this spot ~ not a heavy look at all.

Rotate left again and here is the sink/vanity area. I'm not completely done here. I have an idea. . . I purchased a router at a garage sale this fall and I'm going to use it to notch out the back of some molding I have which matches the cabinets. You know, notch out a spot in the back of the molding to accommodate those ugly mirror hangers? This molding will then be placed around the standard, builder mirror. Hopefully, it will work as I have planned out. . . in my head :) and it will give this a nice, custom finish.

Now, we're back out the door and into the master bedroom.

And, if you'll excuse me please. . . I think I'll go soak in my nice Jacuzzi tub and admire my hard work. Ahhh!! It's the little things that make me happy.

Blessings. . . until next time,

VALENTINES DECOR!!!

Um, yeah, this is what we do in the Great North when we're snowed inside the house, it gets dark at 5:00pm, and we're bored!! WE DECORATE!!



I picked up some CHRISTmas lights after CHRISTmas for cheap, cheap, cheap. I think I paid 60 cents at Walmart-75% off. Red for Valentine's Day, Green for St. Patrick's Day and Red/White/Blue for Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day. Hey, why not? I always say memories don't just always happen. . . sometimes you also need to MAKE them happen. Like magic!! My 21 year old has always told me I did a good job making her childhood a special one ~ and I'm keeping it up for our 14 year old as well.

I added red lights to the two topiaries on each end of the mantel and in between as well. I also have a tall glass vase on the side table to the right of the mantle, which I placed in a string of red glowing lights. It looks so warm and cozy in the evening. And no, they do not flash/blink red. They are a constant-on-lit-red ;) As I stated in my opening line of this post. . . it gets dark here at 5:00pm ~ so we have plenty of time to enjoy the soft glow each evening!

A little heart banner I found years ago secured to my Fleur de lis irons. I placed white rose hearts on top of the irons for now. A little garage sale find of a cherub vase holding red and white paper roses sits upon another urn/vase I inverted for additional height.

The sofa table. . . I always use this area to decorate for the individual holidays. A large rose heart wreath, a large red rose underneath the cloche, behind the rose wreath is a picture filled with rose buds, a little vintage looking (a Marshall's find) birdbath with little hearts inside. Rose petals scattered here and there and other misc. heart/Valentine's decorations I've acquired along the way.

I must say, however, my very personal favorite is the little angel/cherub wings displayed prominently upon the wreath holder. Precious, just precious.

Our youngest, the 14 1/2 year old, is just absolutely thrilled with all the decorations. So my mission is accomplished!

It's a nice little "something" after the removal of all the CHRISTmas decorations. Dontchathink???

Blessings. . . until next time,

HAPPY NEW YEAR ~ 2009!!

Happy New Year

Dear Friends!!

Welcome 2009!!

Another year closes and a new one begins. Isn't that exciting? It's a time of new beginnings, fresh starts and things renewed. I'm excited! It's been a wonderful 2008 getting to know so many new friends through blogging. I never thought when I began this blogging journey in 2007 that I would come to love it as much as I do. I feel like so many of you have become close, personal friends to me too. I've enjoyed checking in on all of you and getting to know you and your families as well. And, wink, wink ~ just what you're all up to :)

I'm looking forward to some down-time now that the holidays are over. I've taken down all the CHRISTmas decor and placed it back in its proper storage location. I worked very hard today to get it done too. Doesn't everything seem so clean and fresh when it's all back to normal? Our youngest told me it's not called clean and fresh, but BARE! This is my time to clean-out, purge and re-organize our household, try new recipes and just NEST in my own personal BLISS *sigh* . Now, doesn't that sound wonderful???

Blessings. . . until next time,

THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE HOME. . . THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE HOME!!

Ya-Hoo we're heading home today!!

I really didn't want to come up to the cottage this year after CHRISTmas. I just didn't feel up to it. I have so many things I wanted to finish at home and I'm. . . just. . .plain tired out after CHRISTmas. But hubs loves his cottage and wants to spend every second here he can. He has a highly stressful job, so if this little place is a piece of heaven for him, I'm right here with him.

But. . . he decided we should go home (Yeah!!) due to the storm a brewing later today. Yes, more snow!! We left for the cottage on Saturday afternoon. Yeah, it was fun at home Saturday morning trying to pack to leave too. Our power went out just as I was getting ready for the day. I packed, put on my make-up by candlelight, and my hair, oh, let's not even go there. Just think, no blow dryer, no curling irons, aauugghh!!

It was so foggy the last half of the drive to our cottage that I was scared to death!! I honestly think we could only see about 2 feet in front of our car at times. That is too dangerous for my liking. I was praying the entire time. We arrived at the cottage to find the guy we hire to plow our driveway DIDN'T - this time!! We called and got his voice mail and he came out the next morning with his snow truck/plow. Too late, we still had to truck in ALL our stuff from the street upon arrival because there was 3' of snow in our driveway. No way was our car going to plow through that stuff. The snowplow guy put us on the wrong list. The "plow when I get a call list" and not the "plow when we get 3" of snow list!" Hopefully, he made the correction!!! He did apologize, so that was nice.

It's very windy and cold right now so the kids don't want to go outside sledding, or skating ~ the usual things they do up here. So we went to see Marley and Me yesterday. Great movie, the ending stinks. That's all I'm going to say. It's a movie that you are laughing at until the last 10 minutes, then you're crying.

So, I'm off to pack up the cottage now and head home. Home. . . it's where I want to be.

Blessings. . . until next time,

LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW!!!

LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE PAST HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY HELPFUL :)

Yes, I live in Michigan. The Lord "blessed" us again with a fresh, pure, blanket of the the white stuff. We had a huge dumping of snow on Friday morning (like 12" of the fluffy white stuff). EVERYTHING was shut down and cancelled. School, colleges, businesses, entertainment events. . . the ROADS!!

It's funny, after spending time in San Antonio (during the end of May) where it was hot and humid and hot and humid and over 100 degrees. . . I don't complain anymore. Personally, I'd rather have the snow and cold! Yes, seriously. Even our 14 1/2 year old is not complaining anymore about the snow and cold. She was actually wishing for snow when we were dying from the heat exhaustion while visiting San Antonio. Yes, Texas is a beautiful state. I actually "lived" in the Dallas/Fort Worth area one summer. It was hot, but dry. Big, big difference to us northerners anyways. That humidity can kick your fanny and leave you exhausted. I think it's just whatever we are accustomed to ~ whatever you've been raised in becomes your "norm."

I'm prepared. We have bread, milk and all the food we need. My Christmas presents are purchased and wrapped and are under the tree. Everything has been purchased for Christmas dinner and I'm just enjoying the "homeboundness" ~ is that even a word? Well, it is now!

I'm sure those in the southern states prepare for ungodly hot weather as we here in the north prepare for our snow. Get all your "stuff" done and out of the way. . . and just stay in the house.

Yeah, we'll be in here for a while. We are expecting another dumping of snow tomorrow night, Sunday. Of course, our 14 1/2 year old is hoping for another snow day. They are scheduled to attend classes through Tuesday, then off. We'll see.

Blessings. . . until next time,