10 Years

There are many things that I have learned after living in a 105 year old house for 10 years:

1. We still love it, but, it is a more mature realistic love.

2. We overlook things now that I would never think I could.

3. Projects that we think will take 6 months take 3 years.

4. Projects I never imagined might only take a week.

5. Projects that seem impossible can be figured out.

6. Projects that seem simple are tricking you.

7. Projects done 10 years ago now need to be redone. 8. There is never enough storage. 9. It is good to know what is inside your walls. 10. A new house would be a nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there.

Hobby Lobby Near Disaster

Or "The Little Clock That Could!" I went to Hobby Lobby to get lining for the dining room curtains. I cruised the clearance row just to see if anything jumped in my basket. Wouldn't you know that they were in the process of marking things down 90%! So 5 potential projects came home with me. First is this little chipped up clock- it was black- kind of - and I saw it as Heirloom White. I forgot to take a before picture so I staged this shot:
Before I started painting I needed to pop out the clock. It did not pop out -so I applied force- no luck. I pried it with a screw driver and broke the plastic around the face. I tried pushing on the back and broke the plastic on the back. Little pieces of plastic went into the gears. I may have said a few unladylike words. It finally came out...I put a battery in the clock to see if it would run or should just go in the trash....
As you can see- 90% of $29.99 was $2.99- and when the clock did not run I thought about cutting my losses. One more chance...I shook the clock until the little plastic broken pieces fell out and it started running!

So I sprayed it white and popped the clock back in....gently this time! Since the rim of the face was broken in several spots- I glued some buttons around the edge with Gorilla Super Glue...

And the clock lived happily ever after !

Weekend at the Swamp

We hit an estate sale on Friday. I got a few things, the Hubby saw some things that were too high for him to pay. It was advertised as a tool and car sale with a few "girly" things...
My favorite key is the tiny one...love the little birds on the plates...

I always hate to see people sell their ancestors...

The next day we went back- everything was 2/3 off so Hubby found it more to his liking- he bought a huge folding table, a branch shredder, a pressure washer, a box of tools, and a box of assorted junk( including several tubes of glue and caulk- unopened).

And I bought some more things that I didn't take pictures of-milk glass plates, etched glass plates and wine glasses, more keys, tiny wooden rulers and this old school picture...

I also got this large platter that I think looks nice with the dining room fireplace tiles...

Which brings us to the rest of the weekend:

The fireplace is almost done! He just has to finish the poly on the wood and hook up the electricity! This week's goal include getting paint samples for the walls painted and a decision made, starting the curtains, and getting all of the tools out of the room! PROGRESS!

Thrifty Thursday

I do much of my thrifting at stores that are connected with non-profit organizations. While I love a bargain I understand that I am supporting a good cause when I buy something there. Often when I get home and look things up on ebay I have gotten a good deal- sometimes not so much. As long as I love what I buy, it is OK to pay too much. This week I bought 2 different things that I feel a little guilty about! The first I knew was worth more than I paid...the other I had no idea!

First up is Madame Alexander's Wendy Go Braugh. I love dolls, don't need any, but she just made me smile. Someone had donated a doll collection. I saw a little British Bobbie that was priced too high -but my Hubby likes Bobbies so he was coming home with me.
Then I dug down and found her- I just knew she would be way beyond my price limit....but she was only $3.49!!! And she is perfect...she even has her shoes and tag...no box..but really!!!

When I looked on ebay she just sold for $53 . I feel a little guilty. But I love her and I can rationalize that I paid too much for him....

The second thrifty buy was a set of goblets for $4. They were purchased at a yard sale for Bighouse. This organization supports foster children in our county. I just thought I would like them in our new china cabinets. See they look pretty in there-

But they list on ebay for about $30-each!! So now I feel a little guilty. I guess I'll try to make it up this year with more donations!


I'm linking up to Leigh's party here for Thifty Thursday!

The Fireplace -2 Years Later

The fireplace today-




The fireplace about 2 years ago is here.
Slow but Steady Wins the Race!

March ...Irish Mardi Gras...Style

There is no Irish in our family (as far back as I have gone on the genealogy) but my Hubby's side can get Cajun in a couple of generations! I feel sure I will find some Irish if I keep digging!

Since we got this beautiful orchid, I had to pull in some Mardi Gras color to go with it.
Trying hard to get my crafty side back- I made this banner last week with some greens from my scrap pile. I bought some of the ribbon on sale at Hobby Lobby and pulled some green buttons from my vintage button jar.

The little Leprechaun is hiding in the bird's nest....

There he is....

Our Sweet Addison

Thank you so much for your thoughts, prayers, cards and care. We are moving ahead in tiny steps. Some days it seems very real, other days it seems like it is not at all real. I'm just so sad. When I worked on this dress and hat it was with such love and dreams of the day we would dress her in it to come home from the hospital. The dress was so tiny that I knew she would only wear it once. It was comforting to me for her to wear it even though it was not the happy day in my dreams. There is a wonderful network of volunteer photographers who work with grieving families called "Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep." We were blessed to have a wonderful and caring woman come to the hospital to take pictures of our perfect little angel.

We knew the moment she was born that it was simply a cord accident. There was no warning, no sign of any problems, just an accident. We have been surrounded with family and friends. Every need was taken care of before we knew we needed it. We know that our brains will never understand any of this but we do have faith that Addison is safe in God's hands.

We know that joy will come back in our lives....

I've read back over the last year of my blog, trying to remember happy times. I know that I want the "happy" me back- so I may not share too much sadness here. I have a grief journal to keep that part of my life in. I will cry there and laugh here!