Music is an Outburst of the Soul...

I have been going absolutely crazy for the last 2 days!! Our internet quit working & the phone company could not get anyone out here to look at it until today. We ended up needing a new modem & we are up and running again!! woohoo :) I have had this project done since Wednesday with no way to get it onto my blog. So, I am super excited to finally get to share this with you today!!!!

We bought our daughter an old Werner Chicago upright piano for Christmas & the sellers threw in this bench. It didn't match the piano, but I knew it had potential!!

It was pretty rough looking.

I was thinking I had some yellow paint somewhere that I would paint it with, but couldn't find it. So, since I was able to mix my own turquoise paint last time, I thought I would try my luck with that again :)

I did not do any sanding, just a good coat of primer to start with. In my living room, where I like to do my projects in the winter ;) You can see by all the different paint colors on this lovely tablecloth that I have done this before.

Here it is. I love the color ♥♥

{distressed}

I used my cricut to make a stencil for the quote my daughter chose. "music is an outburst of the soul."

I think it adds a nice pop of color to the dark wood of the piano.

I am definitely ready to get back into the swing of things now that Christmas is over :)

Linking Up:

Crafty Scrappy Happy
Domestically Speaking
Sweet Peas and Bumblebees
Sweet Little Gals
Here Comes the Sun

What to do with 1600 LEGOS

My little boy loves LEGOS. For Christmas he got a huge box of them. 1600 of them to be exact.

 I wish I would have gotten a picture of his bedroom after he was left alone with them......I knew something had to be done!! We went to walmart & picked up some small sterilite containers for 96 cents a piece. They are usually just clear, but they had some in blue so we got those. When we got home little man set to work sorting & organizing :)

{love it}

We forgot to count how many we would need. So, 3 more of these are on the list for the next walmart trip.

Who knows how long they will stay this way, but for right now, it's PERFECT!!  :)

I am looking forward to a day at home today cleaning and organizing.

Linking Up:

Vintage Wanna Bee
Not Just a Housewife
Mommy by Day Crafter by Night
Here Comes the Sun

Another Christmas gone by...

I have to say Christmas was very good for us this year. For some reason I didn't get super stressed, I didn't feel rushed & everything just seemed to fall into place.

Christmas Eve we spent the day at home with our family of 4.



We had a bunch of snacky foods. Cheese dip, bbq meatballs, shrimp and hot wings. The kids and I also made sugar cookies with powdered sugar frosting in Christmas colors.

We let the kids open their gifts in the early afternoon & spent the rest of the day just lounging. {PERFECT} Christmas day we went to my older brother's house for lunch. We had a non traditional meal of Mexican food. My favorite :) We spent some time there & opened gifts & we were off.

To the movies we go. Shaun (hubby) and I decided we would surprise the kids & take them to see "For Christmas-We Bought a Zoo ". It was such a good movie. I laughed & cried....definitely recommend it!!

Today hubby had to go back to work :(  so the kids & I went to see my Grandma. We spent most of the afternoon there catching up. We don't get over there nearly enough!!

Now we are home, all cozied up watching "Water for Elephants".

My daughter & I saw this in the theater, but we loved it so she bought it with Christmas $$ and we are watching it again :)  We loooovvveee watching movies whether it be in the theater or at home.

I hope that you all had a great Christmas & are recovering from the holiday madness....

Let's get started on Valentine's Day decor ♥♥

One Last Christmas Project for 2011

I hope everyone is getting to spend time with loved ones on this wonderful day. It is a tradition of ours to let the kids open their gifts from the hubby and I on Christmas Eve. We always have somewhere to be on Christmas Day at noon & don't like to rush around trying to get out the door. We had a great time today baking & making lots of snacky foods, opeining gifts & having some family over. We are all exhausted!!

Well, I couldn't resist painting this little bird lantern thingy once I got it home from the thrift store. I knew it would be a quick, easy project :) I didn't have the color of paint I wanted to use, so, what's a girl to do??? Why MIX HER OWN of course ;)

BEFORE

And AFTER with my custom color :)

This little birdie is much happier now :) :) :)

1 Day 'Til Christmas

Linking Up:

The Shabby Nest
Crafty Scrappy Happy
Debbidoos Blogging & Blabbing
The DIY Home Sweet Home Blog
Domestically Speaking

Another Good Day at the Thrift Store

I went back to the thrift store since they were still putting out new items & everything was still 1/2 off. I wanted to make sure I wasn't missing out on anything good ya know ;)

That frame is great. I think I even like the color the way it is. The little birdie lantern is in the process of a makeover already. Can't wait to see if it turns out :)

It was only 38 cents :) And so was the frame!!

The silver stars are 3 dimensional & sooooo sparkly. I put them in some of my milk glass dishes.

Also, my little boy found 16 little bionicle guys that we got all for $1. No luck getting a photo of those. He took off with them & got to playing right away :)

Thrift stores make me happy :)

Linking Up:
Here Comes the Sun

$2 Project-Coffee Filter Wreath

This is that final project that I was hoping to get done before Christmas. I did it!! It's done. AND, I do love the result. It's so sweet & simple & white. I think it could be kept up all year & made to work with different holiday decorating.

So Frilly :)

Hard to believe this is all it took!! I bought the foam wreath form a while back at a thrift store for 59 cents.

I hung it on my old ironing board in my laundry room.

The addition of the dainty little snowflake just finishes the look!!

About $2 and 1 hour of work (while watching Christmas movies).

Oh yes, and here is the link to the tutorial I used for this.

2 days 'til Christmas

Linking Up:
Funky Junk Interiors
Here Comes the Sun
Ladybird Ln

The Gunny Sack

I WAS FEATURED BY A WONDERFUL BLOG FOR THIS PROJECT!!!!

You should definitely check out her blog and link up to her Friday parties :)





Today's Thrift Store Treasures

I had to make a trip into town yesterday so I figured it would make perfect sense to stop at the thrift store while I was there.....:) They just happened to be having a sale!! 1/2 off EVERYTHING!!! Woohoo!!! It's my lucky day!!

These 4 things cost me a total of $1.90.

This little bird cage & birdie were only a QUARTER!! And the thing it's sitting on is a cake plate. It's darling :)

I had been wanting a Christmas cookie jar, but couldn't part with the $$ for one. This will work for a mere 38 cents!! It's even glass :)

This little wooden Peace on Earth sign is too cute. You can see the base of my cake stand here too.

I didn't find much, but what I did find I {love}.

Thrifting makes my heart happy :) :)

Linking Up:
Passionately Artistic
The Gunny Sack

A Partridge in a Pear Tree

I have one last project I want to get done BEFORE Christmas Day actually arrives. I have been busy, but am hoping today is the day it will happen :)

So, 2 days ago my sweet husband took the kiddos to school on his way to the gym (already on my good list for the day just for that), and then, he comes home with a gift for me. He even had it wrapped at the store :) He told me I needed to open it early because I would want it BEFORE Christmas. I wasn't arguing with that!! ;)

4 Calling Birds

3 French Hens

2 Turtle Doves

And a Partridge in a Pear Tree ♪♪♪♪

I had been eye balling this set of plates for a couple weeks now. The partridge plate was on top & they were in a stack tied with ribbon. I thought they were 4 of the same plate & loved them. When I opened them up & discovered there were 4 different designs. I SQUEALED WITH DELIGHT!!!! I am a lucky girl to have such an amazing husband, that spoils me rotten ;)

I think this will go down as one of my all time favorite gifts. What are your favorite Christmas gifts from past years??

3 DAYS 'TIL CHRISTMAS!!!!

Linking Up:
Funky Junk Interiors

An Adorable New Place for the Sugar

According to my calendar, it's only Tuesday....shouldn't it be Saturday already?? We have been super busy around here this week. Here's a peak at what's been going on!!

Cheerleading at basketball games.

Preparing for & holding a bake sale.

Winter music programs.

Pinterest stalking.....because, what would a week be like without it???? I fell in love & continue to fall in love every single time I see these canisters!! I don't know where these came from, but I do know where I saw some similar!!!! Walmart had them, but the lids were just silver. I grabbed some of those babies up & rushed home with a can of spray paint!!!!!!

Do you hear the angels singing?? Or is that just me ;)

{so sweet}

They really change the look of my kitchen counter. They are my favorite :) :)

5 days 'til Christmas!!!!

(and I still have gifts to wrap)

Linking Up:

Not Just a Housewife
Ginger SnapCrafts
Sweet Little Gals
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
Domestically Speaking
Sweet Peas and Bumblebees
Organize Your Stuff Now

Pretty Pink Tree-$0 Christmas Project

Here is one of my inspiration photos.

Found at I Heart Organizing. I love her blog!!

And here is another darling photo. This is where I actually got the tutorial & free cone tree printable template.

I didn't have any sparkly tinsel garland or any bright, beautiful yarn, so I made do with what I did have because I needed to get one of these made immediately...

I think it still turned out cute & I will most likely make a couple more. After I recover from my third degree burn & blister from the hot glue gun ;)

I don't have much pink in my living room, but I would like to :)

I don't remember if I was blogging when I made over that little topiary or not. It was hideous before & it's such a darling little thing now!!

I used some pink fabric I found in my sewing stash. Just cut into long strips & wound & twisted, hot gluing ever so often. Easy & Free!!

Be inspired. You can't pass up a fast, free Christmas project!!

**UPDATE**

I made another one with some red & white polka dot fabric {love it}.

Linking Up:
Flamingo Toes
You Are Talking Too Much
Under the Table and Dreaming
Cherished Treasures
The Gunny Sack
The DIY Home Sweet Home Project
Debbiedoos Blogging & Blabbing