Favorite Friday

Here are some wonderful and fun things I found this week:

1.     Table Runner Leaves by L + J Blog 

2.     Tree Shelf by Whimsical Wall Murals 

 

3.     Melted Flower Pillow by My Little Pumpkin Patch 

4.     Subway Art Canvases by The Creative Imperative  

5.     Pillow Pal Puppy by Fiber Doodles

Have a great weekend!

If you were featured feel free to grab a button and thank you for being so creative and inspiring me!

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Freshening up for Fall

I am beyond ready for Autumn to arrive, I know it’s only July & here in Florida we wait a little longer for the chilly days, but I am counting down the days until I can send the hubby into the attic for all the fall décor. In the meantime I am freshening up the house for fall, there have been quite a few changes already. The hubs and I noticed that our house was lacking in color and personality, so I set out for some color for our living room. Since the boy started pulling up, walking and now running, climbing, throwing, and destroying, we put up all the breakable décor we had before children. I have enjoyed having my house pretty well baby safe and allowing the boy to run and explore as he saw fit without having to always tell him ‘no, don’t touch that’ or loom over him so he doesn’t break, misplace or eat something. The living room seems to feel right now like a work in progress, but that is nothing new in our house.

                                        

                                                  Material table cover not finished

 

New Simple Pillows Covers (Tutorial to come)



Scented Fake Lite Candle + Safe for The Boy = Happy Mommy

 

We have also moved some furniture around, got rid of some and build some new stuff. In the master bedroom, we cleaned it up and have tried to commit to not to let it become the catch all (for clothes, outdated toys, projects, etc.) this has left it feeling open, relaxing and more of a retreat than a utility room. I didn’t have to do much decorating and changing in this room as it is the most updated in our house. Last deployment (a year and a half ago) I decided as a nice coming home surprise for the hubs would be a newly decorated room. I added picture frames (yes, picture frames, not pictures. It took that entire year and a half to finally replace the couple’s picture that came with the frame with our family’s photos) to the wall, a new head board, new furniture, some wall accents and new bedding. It still felt a little not done though. About a month ago we changed the bedside lighting, added a window bench that looks great (by accident), and another floral arrangement. We still need to add a runner in front of the bed, but overall it looks done.



Notice the frames on the wall of the nice model couple in them.



Our Family Pictures

Bench by the window soon to be move to dinning room & replaced

We haven’t done much to our dining room; it is still just a lot of brown and black. I do plan to bring the window bench that we stored in the master bedroom (that looked great, by accident) back out and paint it to match the rest of the brown and have the hubs make me a hallway table for added decorations. I think some accent pillows on the bench will round it all out. Pillows seem to be such an easy way to dress something up a tad and make it feel a little more welcoming.

These shelfs and the little red tricycle is the extent of color for the dinning room.

The kitchen has had the biggest change so far. We spent the weekend building a bench for the bay window, a kitchen table and an island. They are built in full but not painted or finished; hopes to get that completed this week are high. We are planning on adding cushions and pillows to the bench, a couple end chairs and maybe a stand-alone bench for added seating. We do a lot of large family dinners and it is going to be so nice to be able to have the added table space.

Old Kitchen Furniture

The Boy's attemp to help & Mommy's to keep him busy  (notice coloring)

Waiting patiently for his turn

Window bench build & now to paint



New Kitchen Table (built but not finished painting)

The boy’s room is the last room that seems to be a work in progress; his walls are half decorated and impersonalized. I keep moving his furniture around hoping something will speak to be and lead me in the direction I want to go. Pictures to be added soon, he was sleeping when I was snapping pictures.

Linking this post to:

Hoo Are You?

I am partying with Night Owl Crafting today.

Here are this week's questions!

1. Have you ever attended a professional sports game?

2. Have you ever been to a concert and if so which one was your 

ultimate favorite performance?

3. Have you ever been to Disneyland or Disney World?

4. What is your favorite theme park?

5. Do you have a favorite vacation spot?

Here are my answers!

1.      Have you ever attended a professional sports game?

Yes, many. Living here in Jacksonville, there always seems an opportunity to attend something, I have been to a hockey game when the Lizard Kings were her, I have been to a Jaguar game, back when they were new and very exciting. My favorite is my latest attendance to a Sharks arena football game. I can’t wait until The Boy enjoys football and we can go as a family.

2. Have you ever been to a concert and if so which one was your ultimate favorite
performance?

            I have been to a few concerts mainly as a child with my church youth group. The only one I really remember is Carman.

3.      Have you ever been to Disneyland or Disney World?

Disney World, once with our neighbors when I was a child. It was a blast and I am looking forward to taking The Boy.

4.      What is your favorite theme park?

I would have to say Busch Gardens or Universal Studios, they were both great. They both have great roller costars.

5.      Do you have a favorite vacation spot?

Anywhere tropical. We are headed to Stuart, Fl this coming weekend to do some deep sea fishing and reef snorkeling. A trip to the Keys is on my to do list.

Homemade Monday #1 (Christmas project) & Organization

I have finished my first of about a dozen homemade Christmas projects. I started about a month ago on this throw and am thrilled it came out well; it was my first mile-a-minute blanket. I usually have a hard time finishing projects that take more than an evening or two to complete, I don’t like slow progress, but this was worth it. I have now started a crocheted hound dog pillow for the boy to put away for my Homemade Christmas (please feel free to join us, just leave a comment under my Homemade Christmas post.)

   

Share with me your newest homemade projects. Please note if they are for the Homemade Christmas project. ***Please also link my button back to your page if you participate.*** 

Everything is a little better with a little organization, and my blog is no different. When I started this blog, I just knew I wanted to share my latest creations, my life and family happenings and to be part of the group of creative bloggers. Through my efforts to get there I think I need a road map for myself and any future readers. So here is my plan: I want to keep my Homemade Christmas project going and easy to find and link to for anyone who is participating, I am going to highlight this project every other Monday on my new Homemade Monday link party. Wednesday I’m doing a Wordy Wednesday, this will be more for family updates. Friday is always a reason to celebrate and get geared up for the weekend and the best creating time, I plan on a Favorite Friday to send me into the weekend with a little inspiration. Hopefully this will keep my straight and forward.



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Linking to:

Homemade Christmas – A Goal in Mind

I have quite the family, so keeping a list and a goal will help me keep the prize in mind. I am planning on giving individual gifts for grandparents, parents & young children in my family this year & then an Angel Tree Donation for the older teen children in between. Here is my list and a few ideas to guide my way:

The Boy’s Greats:

1.       Grandpa Doyle – Jared and pickled goods

2.       Grand-Nita - ?

3.       G NaNee - ?

The Boy’s Grands:

4.       Papa – Jared and pickled goods

5.       NaNee - ?

6.       Grandma – Wine Glass

7.       Nana - Crocheted throw blanket to match her living room

8.       Grandpa – Jared and pickled goods

The Youngin’s:

9.       Uncle C (age 6) - ?

10.   Uncle A (age 5) - ?

11.   Male Cousin A (age 7) - ?

12.   Female Cousin A (age 6mo) – I really am surrounded by males, so I plan on sending her something very girly.

13.   The Boy – Crocheted hound dog pillow

I am still waiting for a few ideas to find me, I am keeping me eyes peeled & my mind open.

Join me for a Homemade Christmas

This year I am doing a homemade Christmas for the my parents, grandparents and young children. I am starting this now because planning something like this will take some time. I also dont want the stess of trying to do too much at the last minute in December. I am making my list of people I need to make for and maybe an idea or two of what I am thinking of making, I will post this in a day or two. I am going to cross them off and post about them while making them or once they are done. Please join me in an effort to have a relaxing, homemade Christmas this year. You can choose as many or as few people you would like and any mix of friends and family. Maybe a few small gifts for your children or one large gift for a group of people, anything that fits your desire. Leave me a comment below to let me know you are joining & in the future I will have linky parties to show off your progress & great gifts.

My goals for the remainder of the year

My goals for the remainder of the year:

1.       This year will be a homemade Christmas, for (adult & young children) extended family. We are planning on doing homemade jar items from our garden (or the local farmers market) and craft items. I am hoping to have these done by November so we can eliminate as much stress as possible. I have already started working on this. For everyone who fits into the middle of the adult & young children category we do and Angel Tree donation in their honor.

2.       Make and hang a wreath for fall & winter. Though other blogs I have seen some very cute & creative ones, I’d love to give this a shot.

3.       Finish my son’s room. A few months ago, I started changing the theme from his nursery beachy theme to an on the go these, with trucks, cars, plains and anything that goes. I still have unpainted walls, unhung shelves and décor & it just looks plainly unfinished. I need to get on the move before he has another big interest.  

4.      Finish my bedroom, it is not far off from being done, but we added a new piece of furniture that doesn’t match & I am not quite sure what color I want it, and if I want to keep the rest of the furniture in the room the color it is. Might do a little revamping.

My Room - Bench by the window is new & unfinsihed





5.       I need to finish my dining room and living room; we pulled the new piece of furniture for my bedroom from the dining room, so I need some kind of additional seating. I also took a look around these rooms (as they are practically one) and realized that they are all brown and black. There is not color in them. It kind of looks like a batcher or a handsy toddle lives here. So I am on a mission to add more color, with toddler endurable items.

The blanket I made for my living room - my color inspriation

These are some of the things I will be keeping my blog up to date with

***family disclaimer – while I do not plan on disclosing who each handmade Christmas gift is intended for, if you are a savvy guesser & like surprises you may want to avoid these posts***