Bust a Move

"Don't just stand there....bust a move!"..Young MC

That's what I told myself this week.

I could either keep moping and feeling down

or I could get up and do something.

So that's what I've done.

The divine Mr. M is putting in a new closet system for me

and I just had to take advantage of a golden opportunity.

Since everything was off the shelves, I painted the wall

a nice off white called French Canvas .

It still looked kinda.....mmmmpphh.

So I  decided to break out a stencil that I've been saving for some pillows and stencil the wall.

Why the closet?

Because I'm a big, fat chicken.

I love the look of stenciled walls but would never commit to myself doing it in a major room.

I can barely sign my name legibly, yet alone paint.

So, I'm starting with the closet.

I'm stepping out on a limb and trying something new!

I can't wait to show ya'll the fininshed product.

Besides, if it's not that great......

only Mr. M and I have to look at it everyday.

Getting My Nesting On

Spring is in the air

and everyone knows what that means.

It's time for me to get to work.

I get spring fever really bad.

I thoroughly enjoy the rituals

of spring cleaning

and making the house come to life.

This year is a little different for me

because Mr. M and I purchased

a 1951 farmhouse and we

are in the process of renovating.

I've waited all winter to paint

and peel ugly wallpaper

and paint

and sew pillows

and paint

and hang new curtains...

did I mention paint?

(Let's just say there's a certain red in my bedroom that is giving me angst.)

I also have the need to purchase

some new furniture.

As newlyweds, Mr. M and I have

tried to meld our furniture together.

Some of it has worked and some of it...

well, let's just say....not so much.

(I'm not trying to say names but Mr. Couch and Mr. Loveseat....you know...)

I've been looking at some barstools

and a small table to make a sitting area

and I stumbled upon this store.

All I can say is WOW!!!!!

This place has EVERYTHING you could ever imagine.

I'm not kidding.

I got so sidetracked by looking at everything else they had

that I still haven't decided on which barstools I want.

(I have a few dozen in mind...A girl has the right to change her mind.)

C'est la vie!!!!

I'm also hosting a few giveaways over the next two weeks.

There is just something about spring that I love

and want to share with everybody.

If anyone else is suffering from

nesting syndrome and spring fever like me,

then I hope you find a cure

or at least the right shade of paint.

It's Hip to be Square

Today I buried an old friend.

A friend that has endured sunny days and rough storms.

It was with great sadness that I had to say goodbye....

to my old wreath.

She was a faithful wreath form..

sitting all alone on the clearance aisle at Michael's

I brought her home and made her mind.

She was hardworking and never complained.

She endured whatever came with grace

and then one day....

She started to fall apart.

I don't know why.

Perhaps it was the stress from the demands of her job...

greeting people and standing at the entrance of my humble abode.

Maybe she was just starting to feel her age

as her joints and limbs started to give way.

Mr. M laughed at her...and at me

as I bandaged her up on many occasions.

Alas, the day came when she could no longer be repaired

and I was forced to say "adieu."

I decided to pay homage to my dear wreath form

and create another sqaure in her memory.

I used natural vine garland,

vine wrapped wire,

dowel rods,

and thin green floral wire.

I shoved my dowel rods into the garland and secured them

with the vine wire so it could all blend.

I don't advise cutting your garland until you tie in the dowel rods

or you might come up short.

This is a close up of the back of the wreathform that I made.

It's not very pretty but it won't be seen anyway.

Once I had my form made, I started adding the boxwood

from the first wreath by tying it on with the thin

floral wire.

I preferred the single  wire stems as I didn't feel like cutting wire every few feet.

In little over an hour, I had a new square wreath

for my door.

As you can see I wanted a very full wreath

so I just kept going around the form with my boxwood

until I had a thickness that I was happy with.

The lushness of the wreath against my horse bit

wreath hanger that I purchased from Margo

is simply stunning on my door.

I hope that my old friend can rest in peace now

as I have a great love in my heart for all things

square because of her.

Be My Valentine

It is no secret that I love Valentine's Day.

It is my favorite holiday of the whole year!!!

I also have a great love for hearts.

I've always had a thing for them even when I was a child.

So of COURSE I would do something for my favorite day

that incorporated one of my favorite shapes.

The only thing is....

I didn't want to do red....or pink....or lavender.

I wanted something that I would love and that would fit

with my home.

Something that I could display all year long.

So I came up with these babies.

Each one is hand painted,stamped and finished by moi.

The best part is that they are available

to ya'll in my shop!!!!

They are available in vintage white above

or natural linen shown here.

Don't ya'll just L-O-V-E the detail???

The fine cracks just make my heart skip a beat!!

(No pun intended.)

They would be perfect for the holiday or just for your everyday decor.

My heart won't be broken if ya'll don't snatch these up right away

because I get to look at them a little while longer.

I'll have some more great stuff to show ya'll later.

My oldest is turning 18 this weekend

so big plans are ahead.

Thank you to all of your support and kindness.

I'm so glad to be back in the saddle again.

(Even if the horse is really old and can't go faster than a slow trot.)

The Stockings Were Hung....

On my bannister with great care...

I had wanted a specific garland to match the one

I had on my mantle.

I went back to Hob Lob....but no dice.

They were sold completely out.

I was bummed and kinda whined a bit.

Mr. M just sat on the couch and stared at me.

(That was probably a smart move on his part...saying anything at that point would have been suicide.)

So...when I was through with my temper tantrum

I decided to make do.

I had purchased some cheapo

plain green garland a while back

and decided to use it for my bannister.

But then...genius struck.

Okay, maybe idiot savant....

Anywhoo,

I decided that I wanted vintage baby shoes

to hang on my garland....

again.....

no go.

Couldn't find any white baby shoes anywhere.

Now, if I didn't WANT

white baby shoes...

they would be falling from the sky.

As luck would have it...

I wanted some and they were no where to be found.

So I decided to go with my next thought.

Baby booties.....

didn't happen.

Only blue ones....sigh.

On to plan "D"..

White baby socks.

They were gleaming white.

Blinding white.

Tea stain to the rescue.

It gave them a perfect aged look.

I hung them with some antiqued doll head clothespins.

But now my garland was lacking.

Those socks are small....

no...

change that......

they are "smoooooll."

So I  happened to look over in my living room

and see some of my letters that I purchased

awhile back.

Some of the envelopes are very small and dainty

and are the perfect "yellow".

Ureka!!!!

They worked!!!

I tucked them in with some postcards

that were written by a son to his mother

about his life away from home.

Now, I had a theme.

I always try to have a theme, you know.

(It's good for the soul..)

I would build my garland with

a mother's love.

I added small stuffed bears and toys.

I added some paper mache ornaments

that I painted and distressed.

I draped the garland and added

some tea stained muslin bows that I made.

I could just imagine a mother displaying her

children's socks and toys to remind her

of when her children were small at Christmas.

I tied in bits and pieces of strips of fabric

to give it a punch of contrast.

In the end...

I LOVED IT!!!!

What a happy accident

that Hob Lob was sold out

because I would have never

had to put my thinking cap on

and come up with such a cute garland.

Even Shuga thought it was special.

(She's been sleeping on the steps ever since I put it up.)

As we grow closer to the fastly approaching holiday,

please remember to take time to reflect

on the meaning of Christmas.

Remember to love your family, friends and your brother man

as it was love that gave us this day.

The love that not a mother, but a Father, gave

to us so many years ago

that is still

alive and well today.

Merry Christmas

from

Six in One Hand!!!!!!!

White Wednesday

I thought that I would take a moment

to participate in White Wednesday and show ya'll

my vintage nightgowns that I have displayed

for Christmas.

They make me wonder who wore them?

Did they belong to a mother and daughter

who waited anxiously for Christmas morning

and opened presents together?

I added my vintage clock collection

to this vignette.

Hey, look!!!

I have a white clock too....

This justs gets better and better.

I figured that while I was posting pictures up,

I might as well show ya'll the whole

setup of my living room for christmas.

The mantle is my favorite with my off white candles

(they only look yellow because they were all turned on.)

The garland has tallow berries and pinecones

that is set to a backdrop of my tarnished silver.

That I also added to my Christmas tree.

I hope ya'll like it.....

My favorite word.

Without it, life is simply too hard.

Sleeping in Snow

I saw this picture a long time ago and was instantly inspired.

The simplicity of this bird laying in the snow is just breathtaking.

The Divine Mr. M took me on a day getaway to Galveston

not too long ago and I purchased a candle

named "Sleeping in Snow."

The smell is heavenly.

It instantly became my inspiration

as it immediately reminded me of the above picture.

So, I decided to carry out my version of that theme in my dining room.

Several white birds sleeping in snow under cloches.

This is my dining room table.

I wasn't really great with the camera that day

but you get the idea.

I wanted the room to look like a gentle snow had fallen.

I found the reindeer at one of my

favorite shopping spots and

painted them to match.

(They were a hideous gold before.)

The glass trees were a find of Mr. M's.

(Thank you sweetie.)

I added a few frames with some bling

to carry out the ice theme.

Yes, I know they still have the tag on them.

They will have something cute in them later...I was in a hurry.

Promise.

My christmas tree in the corner

continued the theme.

(sorry for the bad pics...)

The tree continued to colors of

red and white with touches of black

such as the ornaments that I made like this heart.

Gotta throw in the fleur de lis.

My wine bar that

The Divine Mr. M and I built.

See that little chalkboard on the bottom shelf?

Eventually it will say

"Christmas Spirits...."

Eventually...sigh.

I added some more junky finds that

I hooked up with a little spray paint.

This is the candle that started it all.

I placed it in a birdcage and added some snow.

My candleabra that

The Divine Mr. M installed for me.

I covered it with berries and dimmed the lights

for a soothing effect.

I added my cloche collection to the top

of Tabatha and dressed her in her

Christmas finest.

Tabatha wanted to wear mainly white

with just a few red accents.

She is such the diva...

I tell ya...

take a girl off of the streets, dress her up

and she wants to have an attitude now.

Anywhoo....

I digress...

Depsite what Tabatha wanted,

I thought that she might need just a little something

extra so I added some white stuff

to give the effect of a fresh fallen snow.

At night the effect is soo calming with

the candles lit.

I hope that you have enjoy my dining room.

Even my autistic son (who never notices anything)

thought this was awesome.

Merry Christmas!!!