A Little Sunday Afternoon Piddling

Hello friends! Happy Monday!

I am back at work today, preparing my classroom and lessons for my sweet kinders to return on Wednesday. I can't wait to hear all about their Christmas. Yesterday, the hubby and I did a lot of what I call piddling. Lots of little projects completed. I will share a few things with you today. I took down my New Year's decor from the buffet and replaced it with some of my favorite items. 

I love using my Scrabble tiles to spell things out seasonally or whatever is on my heart or mind. Lately I have been reminding myself to do this.....

If I start to worry too much, or get stressed or overwhelmed, all I have to do is remember to let go and let God. He shoulders the burdens for me. I added several of my vintage books to the buffet first and them built my vignette around them. Milk glass, vintage bobbins, mercury glass, and so on. I like to mix things up. 

I like this look and it will probably stay until I decorate it for Valentine's Day.

Another project I completed was painting my shelf black. It was a jadeite green color. I was ready for a change.

I like the sweet little vignettes I created on the shelves.

I am still loving my bees...:)

The hubby got three of our interior doors installed and the trim installed around them. Not we need to spackle and paint! My little hall area is transformed with the new doors. I'll share a photo soon. While he was working on the doors, I decided to bake us a batch of chocolate chip cookies. We are going try cutting sugar and white flour out of our diet in the coming weeks, so we decided to satisfy our sweet tooth for a bit. Our goal is to eat very healthy 6 days a week and eat something we love one day a week. So, no sugar or white flour 6 out of 7 days each week.....I'm hoping I survive! I'm a sugar addict....:)

Anywho, this is the best chocolate chip cookie I have ever made. I knew they were good because I made them a couple years ago. I know good cookies...they are my favorite dessert! If you want the recipe, you can find it here.

Oh my goodness...they are heavenly! 

Soft and chewy...just like a cookie should be!

I wanted to tell you that I am being so diligent with practicing diligence so far! I know it's only a few days into the year, but I am proud none the less! I have read my bible each day, journaled in my prayer journal every day, finished my 5th book over Christmas break, and many other things. I wanted to share another journal project with you. I am participating in the Documenting Life 2015 Art Journal project by Art to the 5th. I am super excited about it! Basically you get a challenge and a journal prompt each week. This week the challenge was to use book paper and the journal prompt was Be Your own Goal Keeper. I chose to use my word for 2015...diligence. Here is my completed page....or actually 2 pages.

My goals are written on the tag.  I used distressing ink, vintage dictionary pages (with my word on the page) and part of the book spine, stamps, and a few other things to complete this project. I love how it turned out. I am going to delve into using watercolor and acrylics to do these pages throughout the year. I have watercolors ordered as well as some items for my other new hobby for this year...embroidery. So excited!

Well, that's it for today ladies. Thank you for stopping by. I always enjoy your visits. I hope each of you has a wonderful week. 

Until next time.....

A Few New Vignettes

I have so enjoyed my break from work, but all good things must come to an end.  I return to work tomorrow and my kinders return Wednesday. I am ready I suppose. The great thing is I am going back to a super clean and organized classroom. I stayed and got a lot done that last day before my break started. Now I will have time to do some planning at school before the kiddos return. I have enjoyed making some small changes around the house during the last few days. I look forward to coming home to a fresh, clean house after work.

I decided to use black, white, and turquoise/aqua in my coffee/hot cocoa station. 

I like the fun pop of pattern and color the paper straws provide.

I tweaked the vignette in front of my sink. As usual...everything shown was thrifted, except for the planter and plant.

This is on the wall end of the bar. I had never put it back up after the remodel last summer, 

but I like it sitting on the bar. See the cow butter dish I shared Friday?

One side of my stove.....

and the other.

The little shelf got tweaked too...I washed everything and downsized but moving a couple pieces to other areas.

Moving on to the living room....the top of the heater got freshened up. 

The orbs in the silver basket were a gift from my Secret Santa. I really like them.

The game cabinet also got a new vignette. 

I really like this space. 

And the last vignette is on one of the sofa end tables. 

I really like the lamp painted white. 

I hope to post at least 1-2 times this week. We'll see how it goes. 

Have a lovely Sunday.

Until next time.....

Camellias and a Calendar

Hello friends. 

I'm so glad you're here! Won't you take a walk with me and look at my lovely camellias.

 I have enjoyed having more time to blog these past few days. If you read my word of the year post a few days ago, you might remember me saying I was going to practice diligence in many areas of my life. 

I am happy to report I am sticking to it so far. 

I am excited about this year and some new activities I am embarking upon. 

I have been wanting to keep a journal forever. I am famous for starting one and not sticking to it. It is one of the things I want to be diligent with this year. So far, so good! I am excited to combine art with journaling and use some of my supplies in my craft room that I rarely get to use! 

I am also going to take up embroidery again. I used to enjoy it years ago and then I had kids and life got busy and I forgot all about it. I have found some awesome books on Amazon and can't wait to get started! It will be something to do in the evenings while the hubby and I wind down and watch TV. 

I have enjoyed piddling around the house over the past few days. My camellias are in bloom and so beautiful. They are my favorite flower. Today I picked a small bouquet for my table. 

This one with all the "ruffles" is a favorite! I haven't had many blooms on this one in years past, but this year it decided to bloom. 

While I enjoyed the glitzy New Year's tablescape, it had to go. 

I prefer simpler tables most of the time. 

Remember the votives I thrifted on my Friday Finds post? 

One made its way into this centerpiece.

I love the hobnail milk glass vase. Vintage bottles look like they belong here.

I printed the sweetest calendar created by Erin Leigh. I am finding great inspiration for my art journaling on her website as well. I love her work....:)

She shared a few ideas about how to display the calendar pages. 

I loved this idea....clipped to a vintage book. 

I love this vintage stopper bottle that belonged to my Granny Valentine. I wish there was a way for me to know where she got this one. Bottle digging was a hobby of hers. I sure miss both of my grannies! What I wouldn't give to sit and talk to them once again.

I love these camellias...they make such a sweet bouquet.

Have you done any decorating, tweaking, or rearranging for the new year? 

I always enjoy changing things up a bit. 

The hubby and I have so many plans for our home this year.....build our screened porch, and gut and remodel our kitchen, master bedroom, and master bath. Lots to do, but I look forward to the changes that we will make. 

Have a beautiful weekend my friends! 

I'm linking up with Stephanie over at The Enchanting Rose for Roses of Inspiration. This is her very first link up so hop on over and show her some love.

Until next time.....

 

 

Friday Finds!

Hello friends! 

Happy Friday morning to you. 

If you know me, then you know I love to go treasure hunting. I haven't done much of that lately and I have tried to cut way back on my trips to the thrifts to keep from finding so many treasures. But, every now and then, I just need to go and look around. Sometimes I don't find anything at all and sometimes I find a few really sweet things to bring home. Such was the case on New Year's Eve when the hubby and I went to Gainesville for the day. I had to stop by Goodwill since we were so close and I am glad I did.
Look what I found.....

These pretty votives were such a pretty color. I liked the square shape and the quilted look. 

They were only $0.99 each, so into my cart they hopped! They will be used in my tablescapes.

These gorgeous crystal champagne glasses could not be passed up. I knew they were crystal before I ever clinked them together. There were five of them, but I only bought four. Did I need them? Absolutely not...and I may end up selling them, but, at just $0.99 each I had to purchase them. Look at this set of six on Etsy...$50. They are the exact same ones I bought!

They are beautiful glasses!

I kind of fell in love with this dish. I don't decorate much for St. Patrick's Day, but I do put out a few odds and ends, and this dish with the Irish blessing had to come home with me.

I love the Celtic braid on the side of the dish.

I love the blessing as well. This dish is about 8 inches in diameter. It is in perfect condition and cost just $1.99.

Now for my favorite find! 

You might be wondering what it is?

I wondered the same thing and I thought it might be a butter dish since it has a sweet little cow on top and the bottom part looks like a churn.

Based on my research, I was correct. 

You may remember my two butter bells and cow shaped creamers. I have a white iron stone and dairy theme going in my kitchen and this fits the bill for both! It is in perfect condition and cost just $1.99. 

The bottom is marked Calif USA. I am tickled pink with this sweet find!

So, have you been thrifting lately? If so, what did you find? 

I hope to be back soon with a few pictures of my white dairy themed collection. I am planning to give my kitchen a good cleaning out tomorrow and will be rearranging a bit as well. I'll snap a few pictures when I finish. 

Until next time....

My 2015 Word of the Year

Happy New Year's!

I don't know about you, but I love new beginnings!

It's that time again.....time to share my new word for the year 2015! 

Last year I chose the word, better. 

All in all, I think I did do better in most areas of my life. 

I have been struggling to come up with the perfect word for 2015. 

I thought of several that would work, but none that spoke to me...none that said, this is the one! 

That is until I was reading Debbie's blog post yesterday. 

I always enjoy reading Debbie's beautiful words of wisdom and the scripture she shares. 

She speaks from the heart and I always leave with a blessing. 

Anywho, I was reading along and my word for this year jumped off the page and I knew it was the one......

It is perfect for me this year. 

I need to show more diligence in many areas of my life. 

I hope to recall this word when I am feeling weak or lazy, 

or just lack the desire to start something or even finish something I started. 

So, diligence it is! 

Some of the areas I plan to practice diligence are as follows.....

~prayer journaling

~reading my Bible

~eating healthy foods

~drinking more water

~walking at least 5 days per week

~completing lesson plans early

~completing home projects

~saving money

~blogging at least 2-3 times per week

So, do you have a word for 2015? 

Please share yours in the comments if you do. 

Hope your New Year's Day is as special as you!

Until next time.....