Freeeeeeee!!!

My mom did another good deed.  She found this bench on the side of the road.  Somebody was going to toss it.  We are assuming it is a piano bench but who knows.  I forgot to take a picture before the painting began but did get a picture of the bench top.

The base was a golden wood color.  I painted it with a flat brown spray paint that I had left over from an earlier project.  Mom and I decided we could recover the top.  I bought fabric at Hobby Lobby for $4.99.  The fabric looked like a quilting fabric but I liked the feel and color.

The bench is perfect under my vanity.  The height is great and the colors are perfect.  I did another project with the excess fabric.  More to come later.

Goodwill Treasure

My mom has made a Goodwill shopper out of me.  She has ventured out into blogland and found many a good ideas.  Goodwill is the place to go the gather supplies at a cheap price.  Like I have said previously the Goodwill in Oxford is excellent and I usually make a weekly trip there.  I bypass the clothes and head straight back to the "home" area.  I have been looking for a mirror for my vanity table (will reveal later this week).  I found this mirror for $12.99.

The mirror was originally gold and then given a coat of shiny leather brown.  It wasn't pretty but it was sturdy and a great size.  I took it outside and sanded and wiped down. 

I gave it a coat of almond colored spray paint first.  I didn't have any primer on hand and wanted to get an even layer before I added my color.  I ended up painting it a flat brown.  There were no hooks on the back and instead of stressing out my husband, I decided to lean it against the wall and vanity.

Not to shabby for a $12.99 Goodwill mirror.

Baby its cold outside

Like everyone else in the southest, I am disappointed with the cold weather.  I can't spray paint with the cold weather so I have tried to keep myself busy with indoor projects.  My mom bought me these stools when Kevin and I moved into the house last fall.

I wanted to add something to the stools and its has taken me this long to figure it out.  I went to Hobby Lobby to buy some scrapbook letters.  The letters were 1/2 off so I got them for $1.50.  I lined them up on the stool and covered them with a layer of Mod Podge.

One stool says EAT and the other says DRINK.  I like them and it was a very easy re-do.  I have a couple of tutoring sessions today and maybe a couple of more projects. 

I am back...

Last week was an odd week.  We had friends over, softball games, errands to run, and then I was sick for a couple of days.  I wasn't in the blogging spirit but hopefully I can get back in the swing of things.  Kevin and Ole Miss softball stole a win from Auburn this weekend.  That was a big surprise and hopefully a boost for the rest of the season.  I have been working on a couple of things around here but I wanted to share this first.

Valspar paint is doing a free sample giveaway.  The catch is Valspar only gives away 1000 samples a day.  The giveaway opens at 9 am each morning so try early.  I gave them my email and address and received a paint sample of my choice, a mini roller and tray, and $5 off my next quart of paint.  Check it out.  Hopefully I can use the paint some time over the next week.  I have a couple of ideas.

Lamp shade Revamp

My mom donated a candlestick lamp and lamp shade for our house when I moved to Oxford.  The lamp shade was not working.  It was kind of faux leather looking and I couldn't handle it (reminded me of flesh, ugh).  Kevin didn't understand but then again most men don't.  I pulled the cover off (didn't take a pic) and ended up with this.

I had seen on another blog somebody wrap jute around a lamp shade.  I can do that and already had the jute on had.  I started at the top with some hot glue.  Then began wrapping, every so often added another dot of hot glue.  This is what I ended up with.

I had some odd space left at the bottom of the shade so I started wrapping from the bottom up for the last 1/2 inch.  I sprayed the lamp base black.  I was a little nervous because it is a touch lamp and wasn't sure if it would still work.  I taped a small square on the back near the wires and left it unpainted.  I also took the left over jute and wrapped it around the top portion of the lamp base(it was ugly cream-colored plastic).  I added it to the small table and vase of flowers in the entryway.

Nate owes me a painting for above the pic.  Hopefully I will have one soon. 

Happy St Patrick's Day

I hope everyone wears a little green today.  I made this cake on Monday due to some friends coming over.  I can't make a cake for Kevin and I because then I end up eating the whole thing.  I made 2 8-inch round chocolate cakes and layered chocolate icing between the two.  I iced the whole thing with vanilla icing.  My shamrock on top is one that I traced off the computer via Word.  I traced the shamrock onto wax paper and cut out the outline.  Next, lay the wax paper on your cake and sprinkle with green sugar.  Nothing fancy, but I like.  And the cake was great.

4 years old... or 28 in dog years

Yesterday was Trot's birthday.  He is a holy terror.  He is a heathen dog.  Buth the thing is, we love him. 

This is what I wake up to most mornings.

If I am working around the house or on the computer, I can usually find him here.

Our favorite activity is sitting outside, enjoying the sun, and chasing tennis balls.

Happy Birthday Trot Mann Creech!!!

Decorating never ends

I hope everyone had a good weekend.  Trot and I spent the weekend spray painting, cleaning, organizing, and hanging out.  We spent Saturday outside.  I read while he barked at the neighbors.  The normal stuff.  I have been working on the guest room in our new house.  I don't have the funds to buy new a new headboard/furniture but I do have the headboard from my old bed from high school. 

I found the bedding at Ross for $20.00 dollars and added the blue blanket after the cold winter we had in Mississippi this year.  I have a wicker trunk and side table.  I can't necessarily rid myself of the wicker so I decided to give it a coat of paint. 

The headboard was sprayed with brown spray paint.  I enhanced the diamond in the center with blue paint.  I finally finished above the bed with 4 wood piece painted blue.  The 2 pieces are connected with a piece of twine.  I clothspinned family pics to the twine.  I have a easily changed "picture frame" for family pics.

Home Sweet Home

I have been doing some tutoring.  It is different but I am enjoying the challenge.  I will learn and get better.  I have been working on a few things around here.  I saw this shop on Etsy, Paint Me a Picture, that had a multitude of painted canvases.  I thought to myself that I could paint something like that.  It may not be perfect but it would be personal.  I found 2 canvases at Wal Mart and I already had the paint and brushes.  I grew up in Columbia, TN and Kevin grew up in East Granby, CT.

A heart is in the location of our hometowns.  These 2 paintings are hanging in our office.  One hour and $10.00 later, I have 2 unique pieces of art.    

 

Rain, Rain

I have had a busy weekend.  I went to visit the familia in Columbia.  Mom, Caroline, and I did a little shopping for ourselves and for the upcoming wedding reception of Lee, my cousin, and Lauren.  Trot and I headed back to Oxford on Sunday and Kevin was back in town that evening.  He took Monday off to recoup from travelling and the sickness (coughing, sneezing, etc).  It is raining here but I am cool with it because Trot is always so calm on rainy days.  Mostly because he is scared but I will take what I can get.

My project of the day was to revamp a yard sale tray.  This is what I started with...

Mom donated the tray to the cause.  I tried to remove the malt shopper to no avail so I gave the tray multiple coats of white primer.  I then sprayed the whole thing with almond colored spray paint.  It already looked ten times better but it needed soemthing else.  I had seen via http://www.centsationalgirl.com/ a tray she created for her husband on Valentine's Day.  I found the sheet music to Elton John's "Your Song" (the first song Kevin and I danced to at our wedding) on the Internet and printed that out.  I did a little trimming of the paper and Mod Podge the chorus page to the tray.

There are a few bubbles but for not having a roller it isn't too bad.  I have a one-of-a-kind tray that reminds me of our special day.

Cookies, Cookies everywhere...

but not a bite for me!!  During Kevin's interview visit back in August I made the mistake about bragging about my chocolate chip cookies (I was doing anything I could to impress).  Well, the girls remember this little brag session and finally requested some cookies. 

First, this is not my recipe.  Kevin's mom uses the recipe on the back of the Tollhouse package with one modification.  Use Crisco instead of butter.  I add a little extra vanilla and that's all she wrote.  Follow the package recipe, add our modifications, and you will have delicious cookies within an hour. 

I made enough for the team, coaches, trainers, managers, etc.  I call it the army.  After I had bagged 2 for each person there weren't any left for me to enjoy (a little cookie dough was all I could salvage).  Total bummer but if we can get some wins I will be happy to kick my cookie addiction.

Beautiful day in the neighborhood

I hope everyone is having nice weather.  It was 70 and sunny here yesterday.  I headed to the student athlete center to complete tutor training.  Everything went great.  I came home and decided Trot and I needed to spend some time outside.  I grabbed the desk chair I had been meaning to paint, spray paint, and 2 copy paper boxes.

I first added a coat of primer.  I decided to go ahead and do another coat on the whole chair.  I ended up using 1 1/2 cans of almond colored spray paint to give the chair this look.

It is more of a khaki look that goes with the rest of the guest room.  The desk is from Kevin's parents house.  The lamp, shadowbox, and chair are all Goodwill finds.  My mom bought me the map and Kevin had it mounted on foam board for me.  The little corner of the guest room looks pretty good. 

Take me out to the Ballgame

As posted yesterday, Ole Miss Softball had a doubleheader.  We went 1-1.  We lost the first game but won the second game 11-0 in five innings.  The second game was definitely better to watch.  The girls play again tonight and hopefully get another win.

No craft project today.  I am working on a couple of things.  Need a little help and time for some projects to dry.  I did however score the deal of the month at Goodwill.  Kevin and I have been needing an air mattress.  One to have in case we have extra guests and not enough beds.  And I know a Goodwill air mattress does not sound appealing but let me explain.  Our Wal Mart sits right next to the Goodwill.  Products, its usually just the box, that are damaged and wouldn't look good on the shelves are given to Goodwill. 

 

The air mattress is originally $30.00.  It was at Goodwill for $12.00.  Then it was half off and I got it, including tax, for $6.41.  If I had known it was half off I would have got the elevated one but I am still proud of my deal.  And yes I got it home, opened it, inflated it, and we are good to go.  Got to love the Oxford Goodwill.

Still Working...on the house

We were at softball all this weekend.  Ole Miss finished the tournament at 2-3.  I am not used to us losing so many games but the team is young.  They will get better.  Kevin took Monday off.  We slept in.  Kevin cleaned up dinner from the night before.  I cleaned the kitchen, countertops, microwave, floors, etc (Monday is kitchen day).  Kevin has yet to understand my need for a routine but it works for me.  We went to the office so I could do a sexual harassment and equal opportunity tutorial for the University.  Then off to Wal Mart so I could buy more spray paint.  We should own stock in spray paint as much as I buy lately.  Then an afternoon of watching spring training baseball and dinner.  We were exhausted from our long and busy (ha!) day and in bed by 9:00.

Kevin is back at it again today.  2 home games this afternoon, 2:00 and 4:00.  I dusted all the wood (Tuesday is dusting day) in the house and decided to take a long bath.  So I decided to share my bathroom decor thus far.  Our master bath is split into 2 rooms, one with the jacuzzi tub and his/her sinks and the other with the toilet and stand up shower.  I haven't had much motivation to decorate since it is just us using it but got a little inspiration from other blogs.  I saw someone doing paint chip art on antoher blog and decided to give it a try. 

I bought 3 canvases at Big Lots for $5.00 a piece.  Then I scoured Wal Mart, Home Depot, Lowe's and Ace for paint chips in greens, browns, and tans.  While I was watching Criminal Minds I cut out the squares.  I didn't use a template.  I just tried to cut them all about the same size.  Some of the paint chips were large enough that I was able to get 3 or 4 useable squares.  Once I could cut squares no more, I started to lay out a pattern.  Again I didn't have anything in mind just started laying out a design.  To adhere squares to the canvas I went to the Dollar Tree and bought the little foam squares that are sticky on both sides, $1.00 a pack and I bought 5.  Then came the monotonous job of peeling and sticking.  I added the K and J from the old house.  I am very fond of the artwork and this large piece cost me $20.00