Zappity Doo Dah, Zappity Aye...

My bags are packed and my heart is a racin'!

I'm off to Zapp Hall in Warrenton, Texas.

This is my first year to go to Round Top and Warrenton and

I CAN'T WAIT!!!!

I feel like a little kid on Christmas Eve.

The Divine Mr. M immediately said "We have to go"

when I first mentioned it.

(Oh how I love him so!!!)

I can't wait to see all the awesome junk and antiques

as well as to meet the amazing vendors who work so hard at getting the best stuff.

Look out ya'll....

Here I Come!

I will return on Monday with LOTS of pics,

great finds,  and an

AWESOME GIVEAWAY!!!!!!

Be sure to check back and see what I scored

this weekened.

Psssst!

It's a kid free weekend, so there will be some newlywed time

with my hubby also.....YAY!!!!!

Honest Scrap .....Honestly.

I was recently honored by Lilia with

2 Brown Eyed Beauties

with a Honest Scrap award!

This means so much to me.

I am so humbled and thankful.

Thank you Lilia!!!

 Here are the rules that must be followed upon receiving this award:

1) Say thanks and give a link to the presenter of the award.

2) Share "10 Honest Things" about myself.

3) Present this award to 7 others whose blogs I find brilliant in content and/or design, or those who have encouraged me.

4) Tell those 7 people they've been awarded HONEST SCRAP and inform them of these guidelines in receiving.

 

 

So, without further adieu.....

 

1. I am honest....to a fault. I will almost always tell the truth...even if it hurts.

 

2. I hate blatant stupidity. There's no reason for it.

I don't even like stupid comedy like American Pie.

I just don't get it.

 

3.I love nursing! It's the only thing I ever wanted to do when I was little.

I believe that was the calling God gave me because I've been doing this

for almost fifteen years and I still love it.

 

4.Valentine's Day is my favorite holiday.

I'm a hopeless romantic I guess.

 

5. I hate infestations.

Two or less of any critter...I can deal with.

Three or more...my skin starts to crawl.

 

6. I prefer to sleep alone in bed.

I love my husband, but I truly enjoy

when he gets up early to go to work and I

can have the bed all to myself. :)

 

7.I am a professional patient.

I have a blood disorder and I have been

hospitalized 47 times in the last two years because of it.

 

8. I snort when I laugh.

I am normally this very composed person

but when I start to laugh, I sound like

the village idiot.

 

9.I've had a near death experience....twice.

Let's just say that almost dying

keeps things in perspective.

 

10. I am a nerd!

That's right...hardcore, book reading, knowledge hoarding nerd!

My high school letterman jacket was in...Academics.

My favorite TV channel is the History and Discovery channel.

I got it honest....

My grandmother graduated Valedictorian as did my father.

 

 

I would like to now pass on this award to seven blogs who continue

to inspire and amaze me with their

bloggy awesomeness (like that new word?)

every day.

 

 

Happy Nester

 

Hunter and Hailey's Mom

 

Just the Two of  Us

 

Mamie Jamie's

 

Sassafras Stuff

 

Talking Trash

 

The Junkin Yaya

 

Check these ladies out if you haven't yet.

They are amazingly talented

and full of inspiration.

 

I have to go find a place to hang my award now....

PSSSSST!  I'm having a givewaway on Monday!!!!!!

Be sure to check back then!!!!

It's Better to Give....

This is my great aunt Ruth.

She is an amazing woman.

At 86 years old, she still lives alone and cares for herself.

She is the most hardcore, honest, fiesty and sincere woman

I have ever had the pleasure of meeting.

When I talked to my aunt the other day she was down in the dumps.

My aunt has been ill for several years now

and I think it's starting to wear her down.

So I decided to make her something to cheer her up.

I started with this.....

This was a shadowbox frame that I had.

It was brand new and sitting around.

I decided that plain brown was NOT my aunt's style.

So, I added paint...

Heirloom white to be exact.

Two coats for great coverage.

I took out the glass and glued some gorgeous scrapbook paper to the back.

I then added a cross that I painted to coordinate with the look.

Still....no pizazz.

I decided to hand paint something inspirational

as my aunt is a great woman of faith.

Still....not feeling it.

Aging!!!!

That's what it needed!

I sanded the edges and the words.

I then used my favorite distressing ink to give

a burnished look.

My aunt loved it!

She placed it on her nightstand by her bed.

I hope it will continue to give her inspiration

as she has given me.

Picture This!!!!

I have a hallway that goes from my back door to the front of my house that has one empty wall.

I really wanted to display our family photos in a unique way that allowed people to see

a true reflection of us.

I purchased several old windows from a lady who was remodeling her older home.

I bought the larger windows for five dollars and the smaller ones for three dollars.

(although the smaller ones are a really good size.)

I  edited photos that I had taken of our children and

gave them the same effect to give the pictures a unified look.

I them printed the pictures and taped them behind the glass.

I even edited some of our wedding photos

and placed them behind the smaller window pane.

There was a nail hole in the window,

so I added a fleur de lis embellishment.

The Divine Mr. M measured and measured and measured

before hanging the windows on the wall.

There were open spaces left on the wall,

so I decided to add some architectural interest by adding

different pieces for texture.

This is the face of a dresser drawer that I found on the curb.

I loved the carving soooo much.

I painted it white and distressed the front to give it some age.

I then painted the knob with some Oil Rubbed Bronze...my fave.

I love the look it gives!

Here's the wall from the only angle that I could squeeze in.

(sorry. The hallway is very narrow.)

I added our family initial, a key, a door knob, and a large fleur de lis as well.

I also added the window from my great grandmother's house with a wonderful quote

 that I talked about here.

This is Mr. M's favorite project by far!!!

I love the originality and the aged look it gives.

Hope ya'll like it too!!!!!!

PSSSST!!!! I'm participating in Transformation Thursday with my girl

over at the Shabby Chic Cottage

and Make Your Monday with Twice Remembered

and Metamorphosis Monday with Between Naps on the Porch.

One More Time...............

I was soooo excited about this giveaway

but sadly Nicolette never contacted me after a month of patiently waiting

I finally had to take down the streamers and pop all the balloons.

So after redrawing a name....

Congratulations

2Browneyed beauties!!!!

Give me your contact info and this baby is YOURS!!!!

Heather Bullard inspired back door

I fell in love with this back door planter by Heather Bullard.

The simplicity of the jar in chicken wire with the ribbon and trims

just made me oooh and aaahhh.

I was so inspired I decided to make one of my own.

I did not copy Heather as she is an incredible artist

and could never be reproduced.

I simply took her look for inspiration and made this....

I decided not to use straight chicken wire.

Let's face it....I'm accident prone.

There was no way I was going to involve myself with sharp metal.

I did place my Ball jar inside this grapevine and chicken wire basket

I got at Hob Lob.

(It's by the wreaths.)

I then filled it in with moss and place my flowers in my jar.

The frames were the vintage metal ones that I purchased from GW.

I spray painted them black and then added scrapbook paper

and french wording that I tea stained.

The pocket watch was found for a dollar at a flea market.

(I'm still on the hunt for the one I mentioned here.)

It doesn't work so I thought it would be a great accent piece.

(Sorry for the sideways pic. I don't know what happened with this one.)

I added a bird with feathers and berries

to give a hint of fall and a touch of color.

I made the tassel in true Nester fashion.

This was alot harder than I thought.

In the end, I enjoyed the finished product.

I really love my back door now.

I have plans on changing out the flowers and trim for christmas.

I hope my creation inspires you as Heather Bullard did mine.

P.S.  I'm a little torn about the new "fall" look on my page.

Do ya like it?

Hate it?

Is it too busy?

Keep it simple?

Stay the same?

Let me know what ya think.

I value ya'lls opinion.

Pssst!!!   I'm participating in Metamorphasis Monday with Between Naps on the Porch

How to turn an old urn...into an old urn

One of my treasures when I hit junk paydirt

was this cute metal urn that I got for $4.

 As you can see, it was this weird green color with spots of rust.

I love rust. It makes my heart go pitter patter.

But the green paint made my stomach do something else.

So I decided to paint her.

She was pretty but she didn't have much character.

Besides, who wants to be around a girl that's all fluff ?

I decided this girl needed some grit.

I  went to some of my most trusted allies to give her a makeover.

Meet raw umber and burnt umber paint.

DIRT cheap!! Great mileage!!!

(I feel like I'm trying to sell a used car.)

I use these two paints to add a little age and give the illusion of worn places on my work.

I simply painted it on, let it sit for like 5 seconds

(I get freaked out if I wait  any longer...afraid it might get stuck like that.)

 Then I take my trust dusty soft rag and start to wipe it off leaving some in the crevices.

My new BFF (sorry spray paint) is Distress Ink.

LADIES!!!!!!!!

This stuff is DA BOMB!!!!

I don't know who Jim Holtz is or how he came up with this stuff but it is F.A.B.U!!!!!

It's in the stamping aisle at your craft store and is for paper but

paper...schmaper....

This stuff comes in ALL KINDS of finishes like old paper, vintage photo, etc.

It gives an aging like no other.

I dab the inkpad with a paper towel and then dab my urn.

I keep dabbing until I'm satisfied with the look.

Then I wipe off the excess with my soft rag.

I slightly dampened my rag for the ink to give it a softer look.

Just repeat the process between the paint and the ink until you have......

Something like this!!!!!

TA-DAH!!!!

She looks nice and rusted and patina-ed (is that a word?)

without the icky green paint.

Now all she needs are some dried hydrangeas. (hint...hint...) (talking trash?)

She will hopefully have a spot by my back door soon.

Just waiting on those hydrangeas.......

PSSSST! 

I'm participating in Frugal Friday at the Shabby Nest

and Thursday Transformation with The Shabby Chic Cottage