our weekend...

So...over the weekend, my hubby and I took a trip to the mountains to celebrate (a bit belatedly) our anniversary...

It was a wonderful trip...

The kind of trip where we laughed so hard our sides hurt and eyes misted over...

The kind of trip where the three words "I love you" were repeated with reckless abandon...

The kind of trip that flooded us with memories of when we first fell in love...

The kind of trip that added to the foundation of our marriage like a giant cornerstone...

God is good to us...

 

=)

"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness." Lamentation 3:22-23

mirror, mirror on the wall...

Remember a few weeks ago, when I posted inspiration for a nautical-themed mirror that I was going to attempt?

No? ha...me neither...it was ages ago...here is the link to that post.

Annnyway, I finally finished the project...

and it was not one of those fun, easy diy's that took one blissful afternoon and was well worth the effort...

quite the contrary...it was a pain in the butt. (excuse my french...but it was:)

Here is the mirror before:

BORING...and I don't know about you but I hate those little plastic thingys holding the mirror to the wall...

So first I removed the mirror from the wall, and went to Lowe's to purchase a thin piece of plywood that was a 1/2 inch larger on all four sides than my mirror.

Then, because I wanted to not have a thick piece of plywood, I had to be creative with how to mount it to the wall...(since it was too thin to screw in to)....

So I drilled two small holes in the upper half of the plywood, and fed a piece of wire through it, pulling it taught on the side where I would mount the mirror...

It looked something like this:

Then I set it on the table, and liquid-glued the mirror to it, making sure it was in the center of my plywood...

I let that dry for a few days, using giant paperclips to hold it together....

Then I added my rope, starting with what would become my middle strand, using liquid nails again... it was messy and icky, but created a pretty tight seal after letting it dry for another few days with the clips holding it firm...

Then I proceeded with the other two strands, using one to hide the edges of the plywood, and using the other on the inside to hide the edge of the mirror...more liquid nails, and more clipping and drying for this step...

Finally, I added smaller pieces of twine to hide the seams, which I had made sure and put all together on one side. For this step I was able to use a hot glue gun with those yellow glue sticks that are for heavy duty projects like this...I happily and ceremoniously tossed my tube of liquid nails, which was just about empty.

I also added a strip of the twine to the inside perimeter of the frame, to hide all the gunky-ness from the liquid nails that ooozed out...

And voila! my mirror was complete!! After about three agonizing weeks..haha!!

Here it is in our fishing/boating/outdoor-sy themed bathroom that is off of our rustic den (seen in this post).

Much better, eh?

The total cost for all the materials came to about $30, which I thought was fairly reasonable, since retailers such as Ballad Designs sell similar mirrors for around  $130 buckaroos!!!

Here are some other snapshots of the room:

Ahhhh, another project down, 6,482 left to go..

hehe (not really, it just feels that way sometimes:)

Hope you're all having a great day!

I am linking up to:

The Crafty Soiree

Delightfully Inspiring Thursday

Transformation Thursday

A Fresh Perspective...

In addition to my wonderful little suprise in my mailbox on Saturday (see post here).

I also watched something that made me cry.

Tears of joy and sadness all at once.

Then Mike came home and I made him watch it with me...

and I cried all over again like it was the first time...

It was a video made by a couple whose whole world changed when they decided to adopt two siblings from Africa...

It was a guest post on TheLetteredCottage... entitled "The Good To Be Crazy Crew"

Read their story and watch their video, and see if your heart isn't moved too:)

"Let love of the brethren continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it. Remember the prisoners, as though in prison with them, and those who are ill-treated, since you yourselves also are in the body..."

Hebrews 13:1-4

A Sweet Suprise...

On Saturday a little pink package arrived in my mailbox.

I love when we get mail that is something other than a bill, sales pitch, or grocery flyer....know what I mean?

Anyway, this pretty pink package contained a lovely little ring from Christina over at 2LittleHooligans...

It was the prize for winning her Etsy shop giveaway...

Isn't it cute?

She even sent it in a little homemade bag with a little dusting cloth=)

which makes my heart happy because I have always ascribed to the theory that "presentation is everything"!  

Here is her fabulous Etsy Shop, you all should definitely check it out!


Thanks Christina for brightening my day!

Tutorial for fabric flowers!

So my sister asked where the tutorials are for the flowers I wrote about...uh...good question...

haha...

The primary tutorial I used is from this adorable blog: www.simplyvintagegirl.com

here is the actual tutorial page: http://www.simplyvintagegirl.com/blog/index.php/2010/05/29/tutorial-how-to-make-lovely-fabric-flowers/

Even though this is the one I used, there are literally thousands of pictures and tutorials out there for craftaholics like me, I just start with a simple google image search and then let the fun begin!

Hope everyone has a fabulous night!

Coffee and fabric flowers...

Sitting down to write this post feels alot like sitting down to coffee with an old friend who I haven't seen in a while...

only the old friend is my mac book, and the coffee is actually a glass of ice water... hehe...

but you get the idea:)

Mike and I were away this week on a relaxing vacation to Myrtle Beach with our family, and I wish I could say that my mac was sitting at home all week awaiting my return...but the truth is that it was with me the whole time and I ignored it. ignored my blog. and everyone else's. ha. there. the truth is out.

I also ignored all my voicemails and emails. guilty I'm afraid...

and yet I feel total peace about it...because I had a wonderful time with my hubby and my in-laws, drank a few odoules, ate waaay too many milk duds, and didn't think twice about all my cell phone or computer the whole week.

It was fabulous=)

I have the rest of my life to blog. or check my emails. or return phone calls. 

But right now I am 26 weeks pregnant (can you believe it!!) and embracing the fact that my sanity is contingent on me slowing things down a bit and not feeling guilty about the things that don't get done everyday. ahhhh... the joy that comes when you let yourself off the hook a little;)

Anyway, back to what I really wanted to blog about, and that is fabric flowers. I love them.

Anyone else with me?

I have found a new crafting obsession, at least for the next week or two;)

Last week I went online and found some of the most fabulous tutorials and pictures on how to create little fabric beauties...and then I went to work creating my own miniature masterpieces.

Then my dear friend Bek came over for lunch with her sister Liz, and I roped them into the chaos=)

Here are our creations:

We added little clip and pin backings to them that I picked up from the jewelry making department at Joanne Fabrics...making them the perfect addition to a little summer dress or cardigan... or winter scarf or bag...or really anything...

I made three coordinating flowers out of the gray fabric that I found in the remnants bin at Joannes, and then glued them to this little white clutch that I found a few weeks ago while thrifting with my buddy Kirsten...the clutch was only 50 cents and now look at it =)

Then, I took one of my silk flower pins and attached it to a little silk petal that I had in my stash of faux flowers and foliage (which I use to garnish wrapped presents;), and then placed it a jewelry box to give it as a gift to my sister who was in from out of town:)

Martha Stewart would be proud.

and the obsession continues...

because I still have a box of fabric remnants calling my name, and about 482 people who I want to make one of these little beauties for...

So until next time, happy fabric flower making everyone!

Room Transformation!

Hey Everyone!

The last week or so I have taken a little impromptu blog hiatus, which was extended furthermore by the summer cold that attacked me yesterday and had me in bed for hours and hours at a time...not fun;(

But I am back! and want to show you all a little transformation that took place last week in the home of one of my client's from Sweet Tree Designs.

We spent the day clearing out the clutter and organizing her son's room, which was overflowing with all kinds of odds and ends! We hauled a pile off to the dumpster and another pile off to goodwill, and then organized the remaining contents of his room... here are the before and after pictures...

BEFORE: The desk area is unrecognizable under all the clutter!

 

AFTER: Now the little man who inhabits this space can sit down and work on projects, play on the computer, and do his homework in style!

  

BEFORE: Underneath, on-top and all around this bunk bed there was clutter galore...

AFTER: Not a single item remains under or on the bed!

BEFORE: A cluttered dresser made it nearly impossible to get ready in the morning...
 

AFTER: ::happy sigh:: the top of the dresser, along with his boy-ish accessories are visible again!

There you have it! Another room clean and many more to tackle!

Hope everyone is having a great Wednesday and is staying cool!