Mirror Mirror on the Wall

Saturday, we had an estate/garage sale at my grandparents home. (Well, my Aunt and Mom did). My cousin and I were there to help out and it was great to get rid of so many items.

When you entered their home, there was always a mirror hanging up that faced you as you entered.  They still had the mirror hanging and I kept eyeing it throughout the day.  Once the sale was over...no one had bought it....and I decided to take it home and see if I could dress it up to go in our house.

I made a quick trip to Lowes...bought some espresso spray paint....and check out the process below (yes...the mirror needs cleaned...but I forgot before taking the pictures!)

Now if I can just find the right window treatments to go in the room....I am debating between a goldish color or a paprika color.....Hubby likes the mirror...and I love that it hangs in our bedroom...a great reminder of my grandparents.

Bella

I haven't written about Bella for awhile...and decided it was time. As yesterday was a big day for her....her new collar and leash arrived! I ordered it online from another etsy seller and it is so stinkin cute! I know...my dog is spoiled....but I love her!

I arrived home yesterday afternoon to a very needed dog.  If she has lots of energy she will whine uncontrollably until you take her on a walk. Even if I put her outside she sits at the door and whines! I about had it yesterday! Enough of the whining!

Here she is right before we decided to take a walk......obviously trying to play and keep herself entertained....oh what a life! ha!

Then it was off with the new leash.....and on with the new one! What do you think?? She won't be mistaken for a boy now! LOL!

My first rag quilt

I decided to make my first attempt at a rag quilt.  I wanted to try a small one first.....below is the result. It would make a perfect baby gift....don't you think??? I love girlie colors so much....maybe wishful thinking that I would have a little girl of my own someday.....however not at the rate the conversations hubs and I have been having though....a bit of a let down for sure.

Oh well....I will just trust in God and his timing. 

Just a couple things

Be sure to check out my first handbag giveway from AnnaPhyllisDesigns! Click here to enter.

Making some yummy beef vegetable soup today. Will post the recipe later!

Hubby has been working hard on the basement this weekend....he is going to take a nap and I am going to work on some more sewing projects.

I love Sunday football! GO CHIEFS! Will try and post more later. :)

Happy SUNDAY!

Housecleaner, hosting, and Thirty-one gifts

Can you tell by my title that I have a lot on my mind? First, thanks for the comments! I love reading them and appreciate all the kind words!

Yesterday I came home to a very clean house! I was hesitant on whether or not to share with you all this…..but my hubby decided that I needed some help….and offered to hire a housecleaner to come in and deep clean our home (no it isn’t going to be all the time…but every now and then). I cannot even begin to tell you how good that felt to me….I will admit at first I was very stubborn and didn’t want anyone coming in to clean my home…but when I arrived home yesterday afternoon…I felt renewed…and Hubs said it was worth every penny to put me in the great mood I was in…and am still in. If you know anything about me, you will know that I try to overachieve….I have to have a clean house…I can't stand for things to be out of place….and I broke down right before Y arrived. Ok…I had a bit of meltdown…I couldn’t take it anymore….I wanted to be at home cleaning…but just didn’t have the energy after working a full day and then preparing meals, laundry, etc. I think this is the best gift anyone could ever receive…so if you are thinking of a gift for anyone….this should be it! Nothing better than clean toilets, blinds, floors, showers, all those places I don’t get too….even our bed was made…ahhhh.

Last night I hosted our neighborhood Bunco group at our home. It was a great time…didn’t win anything..but I did have a Bunco! I decided to make a bunch of finger foods for dinner instead of a big meal and I believe all the ladies enjoyed it. In fact, one mentioned putting the recipes on my blog…so I will be posting all the recipes on my recipe blog that you can find here. The menu included: Bunco buns, beef crescents, turkey rollups, apple toffee dip, chocolate chip cheese ball, blt dip, spinach dip, jalapeno cheese ball (but it was a mix – so no recipe for it), and carrot cake cupcakes. Delicious indeed!

I have also been meaning to write more about Thirty-One. I know that I mentioned a month ago that I wasn’t really going to continue to push Thirty-One….but then I got the fall catalog. All I can say is that I love the stuff! And I want to remain active (which I don’t have to do much to do this)…..so I am still a consultant…and if you are interested in information or want to host a catalog or party..let me know. I would love to share info with you! I am also working on a website that better describes the products and info about the company….so be on the lookout for it. Yes…I am still sewing! This girl will never quit! There are just some items that Thirty-One does so much better at…and I really love all the support Thirty-one offers me…so I am sold! I will be participating in a craft fair November 7th and will have both my new fall Thirty-One items and my Anna Phyllis Design projects there to sell. If you want more info, please visit my Anna Phyllis blog.

I am so excited that the Biggest Loser is now on for another new season! Did you see it? Can I just be honest and tell you I was bawling during the beginning when they went around the room and told a little bit about themselves. I haven’t decided who I am pulling for yet….but will keep you posted. Do you have a favorite yet??

Lastly, I promised weeks ago for a giveaway….the giveaway will start Saturday morning…so stay tuned!!

Old Red Mill & NYC

So it has taken us over a year to try and decide what to put above our fireplace. We went back and forth with ideas....and then decided to use a picture that I took right after we moved to Jersey.

For those of you who don't know much about me, my husband and I lived in Jersey the first four years of our marriage. This picture is of the Old Red Mill in Clinton, New Jersey. For those of you who have never been to the west part of Jersey...you should go...it is gorgeous! Clinton is an adorable small town and great place to stop and visit and grab a bite to eat!

I remember taking this picture and when I got it developed I remember it looking just like a post card. So we dug it out of our photo album and found the copy we had saved on our computer and had it printed off at kodakgallery.com. It came out so clear! This picture does not give it justice! You will just have to come see it yourself.

I took it to Michael's to get framed and the framing assistants just could not believe I had taken the photo with my digital camera. They were awesome at helping me pick out just the right frame! As you can see, it is actually double framed instead of matted....and it looks like a painting from far away...until you realize...wait...it's a photo!

We also have been trying to find a couple of pictures to hang in our front room. We found this painting online and instantly fell in love with it. Can you tell a theme we have begun? We are hanging pictures/art in our house of places we have lived/travelled to.

As you can see below...this is NYC.

And this is after we got it hung....



Just a bit of what has been going on in our house...more to come.

My own letter wreath

I found an idea here on how to make a letter wreath. I had bought all the items a week or so ago and decided yesterday afternoon to attempt to make one for our front door.

I always hunt and hunt for the "perfect" wreath for our front door for each season....but after reading the nester's post I decided I should just make one myself and change it out for each season..

Below is a picture after the finished project. What do ya'll think? Hubby wasn't overly impressed...but I am really loving it!

And what is perfect is that I will now be able to change it out for Christmas and winter. Perfect!

Not ready for tomorrow...

Is the weekend over already? Seriously...this week has FLOWN by! I am not looking forward to going back to work tomorrow and working a full week. UGH! I really enjoyed my time off this week.

All is quiet in our home this evening.....Y departed our house this afternoon. We survived a week of a teenager living here. He is growing up so fast and was a lot of fun and full of energy. Hubs and I are completely worn out.

I loved having Y here as he and I have quite a few things in common. I love that he loves sports even more than I do! We played lots of football and catch with the baseball, golf and went to several sporting events! I even beat them both at mini golf! Got to love that. :)

I have lots to blog about this week and will get back on track. My time last week was completely dedicated to my hubby and son. We look forward to December and having him here for two weeks and fitting in some time to go skiing. Always something to look forward to!!

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Our week has been going good. We have a 13 year old who is keeping us very busy. We spent the day Sunday at the ball park....enjoyed the day...despite the Royals losing. We spent Labor day at the zoo....another great day....and then yesterday in the mist....we hit the golf course again.

I am EXTREMELY sore....as Y loves to play catch...whether it be with a baseball or football. While hubby was at the gym last night Y and I spent 2 1/2 hrs outside playing catch. Oh my goodness! My arm is so sore and so is my back! Hoping to take it easy this evening....but now they are talking about some bowling. Oh boy! (can you hear the sarcasm?) ha! Hope your weeks are going good!

Below...a couple photos of our week so far.

A day of golf and yummy dip

Late last night, Y arrived home....it's so good to have him here. We are making progress! He even slept all night in his own room without coming into our room several times during the night! As you can see below...he just keeps getting taller and taller! He spent the morning sleeping in...I made some breakfast, the guys went and got haircuts while I went and got a pedi and mani. We then headed out to the golf course for a little golf. Well....they played golf....I drove a cart...took some photos....and kept up with all the football scores for the day. Go MIZZOU!~

Before leaving for golf I whipped up a dip to try upon our arrival home. It is a shrimp dip that I found on BooMama's website....that directed me to Amysfinerthings blog. So good!!

Below are the ingredients it required....

And here is the final result that I tested on hubs and Y....both thought it was so GOOD! A definite keeper.

We then rounded out the night at our local college football game.....the game didn't seem to be going in the right direction of our home team...so we left at half time and came home. We are home now....trying to relax and looking forward to another day tomorrow together.

A keepsake

This table is one of the items that I brought home from my grandparents house. I can remember this table sitting in their home and to me has special meaning. I had first thought I would try and use it as a bedside table in one of our extra bedrooms....but once I got it home I decided it would fit perfectly in our hallway.

It is the cutest little thing and each time I go upstairs I am reminded of my grandparents and all the wonderful memories we shared together. On top of the table, I have a doily that they bought me while I lived and worked in Branson one summer during college. Ahh the memories.

I am busy preparing for "Y's" arrival on Friday evening. We have several things planned and am excited to have him here. One thing I will have to stock up on is FOOD. Between him and hubs those two can eat! And he is a growing boy.....I mean...he has a size 13 shoe already! Maybe we should start our own shoe company for men with large feet! Ha! It might be worth it with all the special ordering we have to do!

I am sure I will have lots to write once he arrives....he is already trying to convince us he needs an IPhone.....oh the joys of a teenage boy.....hubs told him.....uh...NO......he can't keep track of the cell phone he already has.....I love that he tries to explain to us the reasons why he NEEDS one....for example...well I can't use my cell phone now because I keep losing the charger (and you think that won't happen with an IPHONE??) LOL....oh it makes me laugh....the answer is still NO son....sorry.

Jingle bell rock

This past weekend when we headed up to my parents home, we arrived and little Iwas sleeping. My sister had decided to try and remove him from the car and take him straight upstairs to see if she could get him to sleep a little bit longer.

I had just finished unloading the car and downstairs they both came with the musical christmas tree and singing rudolph the red nose reindeer. My mom had both of them sitting on a shelf in my sister's room and little I didn't want to go back to sleep...he wanted to sing and dance....as you can see below....we were singing a lot of jingle bell rock.

Anyone ready for Christmas?? ha!