New Elephant Rocker

This little Bloomer came to Poppa and Gram's house yesterday afternoon.

When she comes; we've been realizing our old rocking chair is useless.  

Personally I love the looks of it and I like to sit in it myself and rock but

boy does she creak and make all kinds of scary rickety noises.  Because the wood is so old

and it feels a little wobbly; we don't  trust it.  When people come over ... we steer them

away from "that" chair.  Just in case.  

But Blakelea loooooves to be rocked.  

 Poppa sat with her on the couch a spell and 

 they talked and 

 held hands.  

But when she gets fussy; ... 

 you find yourself having to use  your body as the  rocker.  

Poppa did a good job... 

So good that after Blakelea crashed..

so did he.  

I watched them snooze a little while then she got laid down to sleep in her

playpen.  I tell ya looking across the living room at that empty rocking chair we both

knew it was time for that thing to goooo.  

So today we found one we liked and brought it home.  

Not only did it barely fit through the door but 

it barely fits in the corner.  Like really barely.  

In this photo; it doesn't appear as big as it does in real life.  But she's big!  

The bear picture is huge but looks small next to the chair. 

Kinda cracks me up coz she's even the same color as an elephant.  

Have you ever brought home a piece of furniture and it didnt' fit through the door

or your first thought was: "I think I kinda liked it better in the store?"  

That was my first thought but she's stayin and I'm so thankful to send the rickety

one on to someone who will still love her.  

I had an antique trunk on the wall that the elephant rocker is on and it no longer fits 

in our living room either.

Suffice to say... I have some rearranging to do... 

If you have any good ideas on that wall where the new rocker is...

please share.  Don't really have a good little table to put between the two.  

And there's  a hole in the wall just above the baseboards

behind the basket that needs to be covered up with something. lol

(our house tells the story that we once had teenage sons) 

Bet your house has some stories too.  

Better get to rearranging.

L

Heap Of A Mess- Porch Lift

Upon waking; the first thing that entered my mind was:

Egads: the porch!! 

While the Keurig made that first cup of Black Silk,

I couldn't help but open the kitchen door and step onto the freshly painted

porch floor barefoot.  Its still a little tacky feeling.  

Looking around panic sets in because there's still alot left  to do and 

we have friends coming out for the Fourth of July.  

I'll admit it  was hard to close the door and take my cup of coffee to the table

and do my Children of the day study this morning.  

My mind kept trying to have a run away 

adding more things on a growing  to do list.  

Thankfully; ... the stickynotes were pushed aside, and 

first things were made first.  

Loving that study by the way- !!  

Back to the porch thing:

So this end of our farmhouse has lots of olde rotted boards.

We wish we could fix everything... but you gotta draw a line... and just do what you can.

So for another little fix up... Myguy ripped out the worst of the boards on the porch floor

and tore out the bottom step.  

While he did that I started scraping the old gummy paint.  It wasn't even cool like

chippy painty peely that I love?  Nope; most of it was more like ..fruit rollups.

A couple of boards -still in bad shape had to get left but sometimes ... you just gotta do  what you can do right?

I have a picture of inspiration that I printed and was going to show here but 

decided against it.  I don't  want to steal someones photo and not give credit.

The photo was a share on facebook but it's a picture of a porch with colors that just 

make me ooh and ahh all over the place.  One of the colors I loved was of their floor and it is in the same color

family as a greenish turquoise desk I have out in the greenhouse.   Our trip to Lowes' 

Sunday afternoon, was a haul of new boards, pickets, and paint.  Oh Myguy also bought

deck screws and drill bits and when we got home they weren't in our truck.  We forgot the

bag at the checkout and calling up there, ... they checked and couldn't find them.  Uggggh.  

Lowes is a long ways from us so then we had to drive the opposite way and go to Atwoods and

prayed they'd have what we needed.  They did but "kaching$$$$" - you really hate to buy supplies twice.  :(   Anyways, Myguy got busy cutting new boards and the next day I started painting.   

This is how it looks so far, except... I also painted the screen door the same dark green color as the shutters.

Myguy built a step there in front of the door coz it was a BIG step otherwise to get in our house and several  people have had trouble pulling themselves in.  

-- So we still lack the railing which is going to be "picket fencing" and I also painted the  little bench in the top photo... a deep red that will set on the left side of the door. (Thanks Char for trying to help me long distance!)

  -At the moment ...I just don't know yet... We'll see if we can get it to all come together...and  if it doesn't ... I guess I'll just keep painting!  (big eyeballs here) 

Guess I better get busy for now.  

We're  burnin daylight!

 (Ha!)

Stay tuned for part two or three or four...

? 

P.S.  Oh I have one more thing to share:

Finally... finally... finished the "Redeemed" wall

ADDING a black n white photo of my Dad and I...

and the dragonfly Tony made for me!  

Each member of our family is right there.  

{heart}

 

Knock Knock Who's There and Part 2 Of My Happy Place

Greetings and Holykisses,

As promised; here are the newest pictures of the shabby olde potting shed 

with it's new shutters....

and a real door!  

I decided to paint it this dark brown  because I like how it looks with turquoise 

and robins egg blue colors.  

I love nests, 

eggs,

grapevine,

and earthy nature in general.  

Not to mention; after buying so much paint lately;  I needed to  use the same color

on these shutters as the shed

at my happy place.

It all worked out pretty well.

Today, I painted the last coat of paint 

on the front.  And,

- we hung all the shutters.

There's another set on the real window off the backside.

With all the painting now finished, will come 

the really fun part.  Time hunting for vintage garden decor, and 

more "growing."  

Since this was my Momma's place, and I've been calling it

my Happy Place, ... I want it to be abit  whimsical.

 

 Myguy gave me this flag for Mother's day and got 

the whimsy ball rollin! 

It's definitely a happy flag.  

 This little guy came with the flag. 

 He bumps into ---everything!

He still has no name.

Gnomes need names.

As I loaded  my truck to head back to the house today, I noticed something

beneath the Maple tree.  

It was...

the nest below.  

 ... a gift today.

(happysigh)  It kinda tied my whole day together.  

More whip cream on the strawberry banana cake.

The rest of the afternoon, I painted 15 boards three different colors.

Some are the light tan from the Happy place,... others are the turquoise,

and a few others -the dark brown.  

They'll dry overnight and hopefully tomorrow I can finish them.

I want to make one  for my happy place to go above the door just like the 

one over the shabby olde potting shed door.  (Oooh it felt good sayin

door instead of doorway! haha)

Well it's late friends.  Way past this olde woman's bedtime.

Until we meet again...

Holykisses, xoxo 

Lea

March 1st Gratitudes 27

Greetings and Holykisses,

I think I may have missed recording a few gratitudes here last Thursday, so this week may be a little more jumbled than usual. I still wanted to take a few minutes this evening to share a few joys.

I'm thankful for the beautiful sunlight I've been seeing this week.
The way the light streamed in through the barn this morning, really got my attention.
and how the rooster here let out the prettiest crow just as I took his picture.

I'm thankful for this scented geranium that was saved last Fall. It was brought inside and repotted. It's now thriving in this window light more beautifully than it ever did outdoors, and has new buds.


I'm thankful we got the new carpet all in and were able to give Tony's old bedroom a little makeover in time for my dear Aunt and Uncle's visit.

I'm thankful for the wonderful time we had together with them...
and so very blessed to call them family.

I'm thankful for the glimpses that I too noticed of my Angel Mother... in her one and only sister.


I'm thankful I get to love them,


And that they love me too.


I'm thankful for simple pleasures that make me smile and see
polka dots.


For two little hens sharing motherhood duty.


Determined to set together for three long weeks.


I'm thankful that the 8 from the last hatch are now grown. The tiny hens should start laying soon.

- Thankful for the sweet new baby calves, and lots of colorful farm fresh eggs. God provides!


Thankful Tracy's tulips are coming up again and ...

Everything is coming back to new life.


I'm thankful for first blooms so purpley,

And getting spoiled with homemade, french, waffle cookies.

-- Dragonfly love,

-Happy and healthy sons.

And for the sweet gal wanting to know how to make pizza casserole for our Strongheart.

For the voice that says "Aloha" on our answering machine.

A good doctor report,

And surprise message on my phone that said, "I might see you this weekend!" (Oh I hope so.) xoxo

For the word of God. And this week more lessons to abide in His love. For specific words that stood out to me like Vine, fruit, prune, joy and the commandment to just love one another.

For love found in heart rocks, and getting to work outdoors singing praise and worship songs.

I'm thankful to be married to my very best friend.

Thankful storms missed us, and for praying friends.



I'm thankful for brand new clothespins and the joy to hang the laundry out on the line with the sound of sheets and towels whipping in the breeze.

I'm thankful for washing our dishes by hand and the God time I get to have with hands in hot Olay soapy dishwater.

My life is full and blessed and I thank God for every thing.

John 21:25
And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.

3rd Memory Verse, and Spruce uPs

Greetings and Holykisses,

This morning I'm finally able to get on blogger.
I tried loading pictures yesterday but had all kinds of problems. It was probably the crazy weather!

This is my 3rd memory verse for the scripture challenge.
I wanted to find a TRUST verse because I know there are times I still walk in fear when it comes to the future. Sometimes the what if's try to get the better of me. So this verse is being written in my heart. "In God I have put my trust. I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" From now on, when what if's come... I'll say this verse. Especially when people pleasing fears begin to take root: I will not be afraid, because what can man do to me!??
This past week, I started looking around our living space, and decided it was time for change.
Do you ever do that? Feel the need to rearrange furniture, or take things off the wall, and just put up something different? I think it was a bad case of spring fever.

So I started by changing out the poinsettias that were in thee olde crock in this picture.
I mean; no wonder I had spring fever, I was still hanging onto my Christmas flowers with white knuckles. I loved their vibrant red color, and I think that's why they stayed so long. With Valentines day fast approaching, I knew *pink roses* had to be an improvement.

After that, .... robins egg blue...... washed over me.
I needed paint like an addict needing maple -iced, cream filled, long johns.
Lowe's here I come.
I think I could stand in the paint chip isle for hours. Color, ....and oh so many possibilities! But the longer I look at the many possibilities, .... then comes the thought of "what if it's not an improvement but rather... disaster?" I have created a few disasters before...but... if you don't try; ... then nothing: ever CHANGES! It was time to just go for the gusto. If it turned out a flop, I knew I'd just keep painting until something pretty happened. ;)

A friend of mine, recently sent me to a website with rustic lodge furniture that was painted a distressed turquoise color. I don't want to write the website here, because it's completely ridiculously overpriced, but at the same time I liked the look alot. So, God creating me to be a woman who enjoys getting her hands very dirty, and robins egg blue on- the- brain:
This began to happen. I forgot to take a before shot of this old table but, it was finished with an outdated, very dark stain from the early 70's. To me; the cracked up legs only adds to their charm.
After getting a wash of robins egg blue paint, .... it was then rubbed with oak gel stain. The stain made it darker, and really changed the paint color.... - I liked it!
It turned out so much like the pricey pieces on the fancy website I told you about; I could really hardly believe it.

But that wasn't all.
I'd stared for weeks, at the unfinished woodbox that Myguy had thrown together just before our last snowstorm. There it sat day after day, in the living room with kindling in it... - just bare plywood.
On a sunny afternoon last week, it came back outdoors. The kindling got dumped out, and it too got a spruce up. It needed something.... to tie the room more together? So I bought three of those little carved, decorative pieces. The two small daisies, I attached to the ends and the larger piece to the front. You just add some wood glue, and little nails... and voila!
Nothing fancy, but .... I think our firewood looks happier.
Then, to keep the color going, this table was "egged" as well.
And so were a couple bird houses that I had laying around.
Our mantle and fireplace bricks needed something too.
The mantle boards used to be a willow green. Now; they're called "sugar cane."
And the bricks were painted white, but are now a "mulch" color.
A little paint can sure go a long ways.

I swapped curtains, and tried to mostly use things we already had to freshen things up.
But I did want to go to Hobby Lobby to look at fabric to reupholster an old rocking chair.
So I printed my 40% off Hobby Lobby coupon , and to my delight....
they had the picture back in stock I'd had my eye on and it was marked half off!
I just love all the names of God so much. And on this particular day; I was so happy to find something so very special for our living room. I brought the picture home, and the sales lady let me use my 40% coupon on the fabric I found for the chair, even though the fabric was already 30% off. She allowed me an extra 10 % with my coupon! What a blessing!

That concludes my Sprucing uP!
For now anyways.

I do find it amusing that....
I realized my newest book that came in the mail also has blue eggs. lol
My dear friend Char and I are doing this book together and little did I realize that the whole time I had robins egg blue on the brain... my newest bible study has the same theme. I'm eggcited! Okay; so that may have been a little lame. lol I couldn't help myself. heehee
I was also eggcited this week, to find snail mail from my Artsy friend: Sherry!
Thankyou soooo much Sherry! I sooo loved the *message* and I'm taking it to he{art}!!!!!!!!!!


So here is my next project to tackle. (Sorry the picture is so tiny. I loaded it when I was having trouble with Blogger yesterday.)
Anyway, the seat has a printed fabric on it with "jam jars." It hasn't ever matched anything or even mis-matched very well. So out with the old and in with the new. The new fabric is a solid mulch brown that looks like tooled leather. I almost went with a leopard print for fun, but it was alot more expensive. The price difference between the two, almost paid for the names of God picture!

Last but not least.... meet cute lil Sylvester.
I've been babysitting him for almost a week now. He's a long haired chihuahua.
We now call him, Sylvester P. Leaksalot. Because if you talk to him, ...he pees. If you touch him, ... yep; .....he pees. He just gets so excited; .... he leaksalot! We put his little pen just a few feet from the door. I open the exterior door first, and then his pen door. Sometimes when you open it, he'll leave a trail across the tile, ....all the way out.* Poor lil guy... Have any of you had a furbaby with that kind of problem? His owner is hoping he outgrows it because he's still a puppy. But I ... don't know????

It's almost time for my hair appt.
Yall have a wonderful day!!!
Holykisses xoxo
L

Woodland Finds

Greetings and Holykisses,

Barely made it here while it's still Monday!
I've been trying to get a video to load but I guess I'll have to try it without adding any pictures.
I'll keep you in suspense what it's of. No; no more possum chases; not today anyways.

The picture above is of some of the vines I found. Ran out of room in the bucket so had to lay abunch across the front of the four wheeler. About half way across the pasture I noticed my bucket was empty. Then I had to back track to find it. ha ha
I've also been cleaning out the potting shed for Fall; and decided to bring one of the old washtubs to the house for winter. This one housed potting soil all summer, but it got a good scrubbing and now resides in my craft room.


Instead of potting mix, it holds fabric and polyfil.
Boy oh boy, have I been up to my eyeballs in polyfil!
I know these look funny with their bare prim stitchins but.... just wait! Before long, they'll be given character and personalities. The one on the right looks a little like ET right now; but that's the way the pattern makes her. lol

Still have alot of stuffin to do. Finally tossed it all in a corner for awhile and headed back outside!


As I passed by this bush, I thought I saw a snake but it's just a lighter shade of tree branch. My Mom gave me this years ago; it's called a Walking stick bush. I haven't clipped any branches yet, but will as it goes more dormant.
Also picked a few pears. The deer have been eating the crab apples. About every other day, one or two deer are seen standing at the base of the tree.
The persimmons are starting to fall to the ground too.
But none of us are too crazy about those ....
I did bring home a few pine cones and nuts to add to baskets though.
Riding around the woods was so much fun. I got off a few times picking to pick things up. Sure hope the chiggers are gone now! I rebuked them and the poison ivy too!
It's funny we look out at the pastures and wish there weren't so many of those yellow weeds out there. Nothing will eat them... not even the donkeys. But they sure look pretty to me in old bottles and jars. Now I've gotta decide if I want to make a garland or a wreath out of all that muscadine vine. Hope I have some time tomorrow to do something with it.

Til we meet again,
Holykisses xoxo
L