12/28/10

Our Top Ten Projects of 2010!!

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Hi All!
I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!  This year was very special for us.  We had a new baby in the family and for the first time in 4 years,  my son and his wife were able to be with us at Christmas. 
It made for a very special time!
Looking back on old blog posts is like a mini time-capsule!  So with that in mind, I am joining Rhoda of Southern Hospitality for her Top Ten Projects of 2010 and Kim @ Savvy Southern Style for Show me your Best of 2010.  Some were my projects, some were my talented husband's and some were ours together!

For this hutch project, I used toile fabric and cardboard to add some color and depth!
I loved how it turned out and it was so inexpensive to create! I just cut the fabric to fit the cardboard and slid it in.  My hubby had cut the cardboard so that it would fit nice and snug and we stretched the fabric and stapled!  Easy, Peasy!





This past year I made a few pillows!

I made this for my daughter Katie for a Valentine's present.  I used some of her old skating dress fabric to fashion a heart pillow!

In May, we spruced up the front porch with a new table, chairs and rug! 
Of course a little tablescaping was in order!



I made these fun place-mats for the 4th of July!  I used left-over burlap and old jeans for the pockets! 


I invited my in-laws over and served them dinner out here!  I think they really enjoyed it.

There were some chair projects going on as well!  I paid a buck for this chair at an auction.  After a couple of coats of apple green paint it has a new life in my garden!


Dan took our old metal lawn chairs and gave them a new lease on life!  He re-did these with spray paint and I love how they turned out! I am always amazed at how precise and perfect his painting is.




Colorful and whimsical, just how I like them!

It's hard to believe that this is the same patio that is now just buried more than knee-deep in snow!


One of hubby's biggest project was re-doing this old picnic table.  Honestly, I didn't think it could come out looking good but I trust my husband and his ability.  It was warped and splintered and just plain falling apart!


He tore this baby apart piece by piece!  He planed down the wood, sanded, primed and painted!


He then he put it all back together again!  He even used new screws as the nails were just shot and worthless!
I was so proud of him and I love how it turned out!!!




With that in mind, it was time for me to get busy!  Katie needed a dresser for her baby girl to be!
I decided we would just use her old childhood dresser instead of spending a lot of money on something that really wasn't what we wanted.

I sanded and primed and painted the drawers!  Her color's are lilac and green so I bought a quart of each.
Instead of spending money on new drawer handles I simply primed and painted the old ones!

I found these cute little knobs at Hobby Lobby for the top drawer!  Total cost of make-over was about $21.00.
And daughter loves it!!!

Thanks to some great blog tutorials I learned how to make these cute little booties for my daughter's baby shower!  I love how they turned out!

And I made a diaper cake too!  Aren't bloggers the best?  They share their ideas and talents so that you can give it a try too.

In 2010 I planted gladiolas for the first time and they actually grew!
I was so proud to have these on my dining room table and plan on planting more of these babies in 2011.
And speaking of flowers, I tried my hand at flower arranging and................



I actually got a blue ribbon at our local county fair!!




One of our bigger projects was redoing this bedroom that had been my daughters.  I wanted it light and airy and a place for baby too. 


And it had to be on a very tight budget.  The room had been painted a very dark color and I just didn't think it fit.  So we painted using a color called spa, wallpapered with look alike wainscoting wallpaper for a fraction of the cost.  I bought a new spread and we re-did my daughter's 20 year old crib.  Plus a few new accessories and we completed this room for only $115.00!

And the very bes-test project of all was becoming a Grandma for the first time!  Here's little Addison meeting her uncle Joshua for the very first time!


Opening presents with Mommy on Christmas Eve.


And just being the joy of our lives!!  This little girl had 5 Christmas's to go to and she is quite tuckered out!



Checking out 8 month old Emalee's dress!  They were both so interested in each other's dress, it was so cute!
Little Addison will be 3 months old on the 3rd of January and the really big news is that come next July, she will have a little cousin!
My son Joshua and his wife Dawn are expecting their first baby!
And that will make me a Grandma again!
Oh Joy!
Thanks for coming by everyone and please come back on the 1st as I am having a blog-a-versary!!!
Cindy

12/21/10

A Winter Wonderland!

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Are you dreaming of a white Christmas?  Then do I have some pictures for you!
I wasn't going to post again until Friday. But last night brought more snow and today was absolutely beautiful!



We got the fluffy kind of snow. It's so pretty and fresh looking, just in time for Christmas!
And it warmed up to a balmy 35 degrees today. Which feels like a heat wave after our frigid below zero temps.


I love our trees so lovingly flocked by Mother Nature.

Here's the spot we normally have outdoor fires. 


My son and dil just arrived in Minneapolis about 2 hours ago.
They flew in from Phoenix and they were thrilled to see snow!
They truly are Mid-westerner's at heart. They're heading to see her parents in Southern Wisconsin but they will be joining us by Friday!



Although it's all snowy and white outside my windows, it's warm and cozy inside.


The presents are getting wrapped and I even got some of my food shopping done today.



I lit some candles and I have Cinnamon sticks simmering on the stove.

And as I sit here enjoying  the wintry wonderland outside my window.

I ponder the past year.



I want to thank you all for your friendship and kindness.  I've been lucky enough to meet some of you in person and I value your friendship so much.  You light up my life...
Kind of corny but it fit's!

And here's wishing you all a Merry Christmas!  I'll be checking in to say hi when I can and I hope you all have a wonderful, joyous Christmas and New Year!

Cindy
I am joining Susan @ A Southern Daydreamer for Outdoor Wednesday.

12/19/10

I Decked the Halls and now I'm pooped!

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Hi All!
No matter how early I start preparing for Christmas, it still feels like I am always behind.
I could keep pulling out decorations but I need to be done.
Taking it down is never as fun as putting it out.

 

I still have lot's of cooking, baking and house cleaning to do.
If it wasn't for us women no one would probably even have a Christmas.



We celebrated Christmas with my hubby's family yesterday.  It was his sister Ruth's year to hostess and boy was she wiped out.   It's a lot of work for one gal especially when the family keeps growing.





These pics were taken pre-humongous snowfall. 
Can you believe we have 3-6 more inches forecast for tomorrow!
Enough already!




It's a typical Sunday night.  My hubby is currently irritated with the Green Bay Packers which is a common occurrence around here! lol!











































My MIL made these darling knitted ornaments! 


I am using them in my birch basket for a coffee table centerpiece.


Here's wishing you all a wonderful Christmas!
Cindy
I am joining Susan @ Between Naps on the Porch for Met. Monday and
Marty @ A Stroll thru life for Tabletop Tuesday.
Check out their wonderful parties!