Starting at the beginning

Good Morning, I thought I might catch you all up on me.  If any of you followed me for awhile, you know that I I have been blogging and creating web pages for years.    But over the last several years  I’ve been kinda all over the place.  Starting back around the time I got a my divorce, which I wrote a little bit about in a post called Do you ever.  Well since then I have really been trying to find myself again.  Some things are the same, some things are different, and quite a bit of growth in all things. Thank you Jesus!

I remarried in 08 and my life took off again, and since then there has been lots of turns and twist.  I was still living in my home that I had with my first hubby and I was trying to update it so that I could put it in the market.  Goal being, leave Maryland and move closer to home (Kentucky).  So one of the first projects we did was remodeled and updated my kitchen.  So I thought today it would be fun to revisit my (old) kitchen.

I wish I had some before shots, but I am sure you know the look.  Builders grade oak cabinets,etc, etc…

We changed out all the light fixtures in this area to a polished nickel and bought all stainless steel appliances, painted the cabinets a antique white and put all brush nickel pulls on the cabinets, which they didn’t have any to begin with.  We added crown molding, and my hubby also added a molding to the top of the cabinets to give it a little more custom look.   The room had been painted a sage green color and we decided to paint it a buttery yellow.

We also updated the countertops with granite and added a black deep sink with  a new brush nickel water faucet.

Hubby updated the vinyl floor covering with hardwood floods and added bead board to the bar area..

Had this been a bit larger kitchen it could have been a dream.  I loved how it turned out.  From basic oak, vinyl flooring and Formica to this.  Hubby did a wonderful job and this is a transformation that I would take on again. I was so thrilled with the outcome.

Needless to say we enjoyed this kitchen after it was finished.

This is just one of the many projects we did in the house before we put it on the market.  By the time we sold the house we had repainted all the walls, recarpeted the upstairs in Berber, updated all the bathrooms with custom built vanities and all new lighting and water fixtures and tile flooring.  New hardwood floors went into the living room as well as the dining room.  Added a new front door with beveled glass front and new slider heading to the deck. 

I hope you enjoyed my remodeled kitchen.

   Blessings,

      Cindy

Isaiah 25:1“[Praise to the LORD] LORD, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things, things planned long ago.” Brought to you by BibleGateway.com. Copyright (C) . All Rights Reserved.

Weekly Roundup- March 1,2013

Good Afternoon Ladies,  I always enjoyed doing this post because I love looking around blogland.  And who doesn’t like seeing how others put things together or how someone redoes something.  Sometimes taking trash to treasure.  It varies week to week on what I feel like posting here, but my sincere hope is that you will find something that inspires you and sparks your creativity.

 

Carlene @ Organized Clutter painted this little bunny and it looks like the delectable Easter Bunny treat.  Really think this is adorable.

Nici @ Posed Perfection created these cherry blossoms, I think if I was doing them I would use pink tissue paper. But love this easy and cute idea

Amber @ The Honeysuckle Bus Stop created a easy Easter tree. Another super easy and inexpensive craft project for spring.

Jaime from Crafty Scrappy Happy shared how to make these adorable eggs.  Want to do these.

Those are a few of the things that I found this week that I feel are quite doable and inexpensive to add to your home this Easter or Spring. Feel free to share a idea with us.

  Blessings,
     Cindy

Psalm 73:25-26“Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Brought to you by BibleGateway.com. Copyright (C) . All Rights Reserved.

Who is ready

For spring?  I have gotten the spring fever so bad and I’m not really sure why, we have had a very mild but COLD winter.  At church Sunday I saw all the flowers starting to bloom. 

I saw crocus up through the ground.

And I saw daffodils already in full bloom.

One of the first reminders that SPRING really is on it’s way.  Which got me to thinking about how I can ready my home for spring.  What are some of the things you do to ready your home for the Spring season?  One of things that I have noticed for spring this year is all the bold colors.  (Have you noticed that when you have been out shopping.  Seeing all the greens, pinks, deep purples, and orange (tangerine) they are calling it. From jeweled accessories to shoes and blouses.  I think they look like HAPPY colors.  How could you ever feel “down” or “blue” wearing those colors. ) I distress, but the same is true for you home.  Now my question is this…….How can you add spring touches to your home on a budget, when you are in a rental?  or your own home.

A few things you can do, refresh a room with blooms.

Arranging white flowers in weathered watering cans (look at thrift stores and flea markets.) Tulips are a great choice, as they’re affordable and evoke a casual-yet-elegant feeling.

Arrange ferns or other greenery inside milk buckets.  The contrast between the green and white is spectacular. Simple and doable.

Use bright colored table linens that shout Spring!

 

Using a touch of nature, like a birds nest with robins eggs tucked inside, atop a pedestal or under a cloche.

A wonderful colorful arrangement to greet your visitors.

Pretty blue mason jars full of spring flowers.  Pansies are always a hit!

Create some moss balls to put around in bowls.  

 

These are just a handful of little ideas you can do.  Feel free to share any ideas or links to ideas so that we can all make our homes more inviting to welcome Spring.

Blessings,

  Cindy

1 John 4:9“This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.” Brought to you by BibleGateway.com. Copyright (C) . All Rights Reserved.

A Boo Party

Today I wanted to share a couple really cute and simple ideas and treats to throw together for a  fun and scary night  for your little goblins.

Spider suckers



googly eye hot cocoa


witches hat cookies



Pumpkin dip bowl

Decorate a pumpkin with fake mice.  creepy!



Creepy crawly spiders everywhere

Soft eerie glow



Home spun cobwebs over black birds



Creepy Candles


Pumpkin candy bowl




Pumpkin ice cooler

Don’t forget the spiders in your drinks!

Just a few things to get ya started.  Do you usually have a party/get together on Halloween and what are your traditions with your little ones?  I miss Halloween with my children. 

Hugs,

 

Cindy

I got it

That decorating bug again.  I seem to get hit with this malady several times a year and I have it now.  I have a great urge to do some decorating but since I am not in the “place” to it, I can only dream. 

Several things I like in this photo.  Like the apple walls with white trimming  along with the stone fireplace.










Apple green walls with tangerine and lemon yellow accents add a playful contrast to the natural stone fireplace and hardwood floors. 

Would love to have these cubbies in  office. How bout you?










Custom-built egg-crate shelving covering an entire wall provides ample room to mix storage and display. A mix of magazine organizers, baskets, and boxes provides storage for periodicals, stationery, and painting and office supplies and creates a pleasing, layered mix of objects.

Then I lean this way too

More of a simpler style.  But I am lovin this.



A simple white living room is given character and depth with charming vintage pieces, including a 19th-century wooden tub that has been turned into a coffee table.








Textures and shapes are enhanced against white. Subtle but significant details such as the original paint of a vintage fireplace mantel and the bold lines of an 18th-century American cupboard get their due when displayed against a backdrop of plain white walls.


all photo’s courtesy of Country Living


Cindy

Need some help getting ready for the weekend

 

Woo Hoo!!!

Memorial Day plans anyone? Picnics? Family gatherings?

I am sure we all have some wonderful fun planned for this first holiday weekend…the kick off to summer…..but let us not forget the real reason we celebrate this holiday.  Remember those that gave the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.

Memorial Day

We walked among the crosses
Where our fallen soldiers lay.
And listened to the bugle
As TAPS began to play.
The Chaplin led a prayer
We stood with heads bowed low.
And I thought of fallen comrades
I had known so long ago.
They came from every city
Across this fertile land.
That we might live in freedom.
They lie here 'neath the sand.
I felt a little guilty
My sacrifice was small.
I only lost a little time
But these men lost their all.
Now the services are over
For this Memorial Day.
To the names upon these crosses
I just want to say,
Thanks for what you've given
No one could ask for more.
May you rest with God in heaven
From now through evermore
By C W J (C W Johnson)- May 1975

"THE PATRIOT"

Memorial Day weekend was coming up,
and the nursery school teacher
took the opportunity to tell her class
about patriotism.

"We live in a great country," she said.
"One of the things we should be happy is that,
in this country, we are all free."

One little boy came walking up to her
from the back of the room.
He stood with his hands on his hips and said...
"I'm not free. I'm four."

Decorating for the occasion

Bringing the patriotic spirit into your home is as easy as hanging an American flag. Complement Old Glory with red accents, such as potted geraniums, a vintage cooler, and red-and-white linens.



A crisp white cottage porch pays tribute to the grand old flag in a casual, homey style. The patriotic look on this porch comes from a strong assortment of patterns. Oversize bunting in stripes and polka dots, a striped rug, and pillows in stripes, polka dots, and gingham emblazon the porch in red, white, and blue.

Put your collection of blue-and-white dishes on display to celebrate a patriotic holiday. For another nod to nostalgia, dress your table in linens from bygone eras -- especially if they feature patterns in red, white, and blue.



Vintage blue bottles reflect the navy in Old Glory. Use the bottles to display a few red flowers or miniature flags. Clear bottles would add variety to the mix.

Are you entertaining?

A white dining room is a perfect backdrop for holiday decorating. This simple summer dining table has been embellished with red, white, and blue accessories for a patriotic breakfast or luncheon.

Did someone say picnic?

How charming is this? So simple but so pretty.

Combine solid blue dishes, red and white flowers, and a blue gingham tablecloth for a patriotic backyard picnic.

Photos Courtesy of Country Living

What about a All-American centerpiece.  Love this.

You can pull together this patriotic decoration in a jiff. Just fill an open chest or basket with decorative green grass, baseballs, and red and blue croquet balls. Top it off with a few tiny flags.

Make your own Americana cake stand….. 


Put a patriotic twist on your cake stand. Create this temporary decoration by folding 2-inch sections of a red, white, and blue streamer accordion style and wrapping each section with a piece of string. Hot glue to the bottom of the stand for easy removal.



Create a cozy outdoor seating area with red-painted chairs, a white table, a vintage tablecloth, and a blue splatter ware bucket doubling as a planter. Don’t forget the watermelon.

Last year I shared some Memorial Day yummies at my cooking blog, so I am linking to them, feel free to check them out.

Hoping everyone has a safe and fun holiday weekend.

Acts 20:24“However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.” Brought to you by BibleGateway.com. Copyright (C) . All Rights Reserved.

Cindy

Decorating with suitcases

 

The last several days my mind has been “going crazy” with ideas.  Sometimes I get so excited when I anticipate  decorating my next home.   Do you get like that too? Can’t be soon enough for me, but whilst I wait, I am searching for new ways to display some of my collections. 

I have a collection of old suitcases that I have acquired via yard sales. {Granted they are all ins storage at the moment} A girl has to love “YARD SALES”.  I do and I am so thrilled  that the season is upon us again.  But will confess that since I’m not sure I should buy anything “big” because who knows if I will be able to use it when I move.  RIGHT? 

Well take a peek at  of a few of them that I found.


 

 



courtesy of Country Living

Do you have any ideas that you can share?  I would love to hear from you.

Romans 12:12“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” Brought to you by BibleGateway.com. Copyright (C) . All Rights Reserved.

Have a blessed day!

Cindy