Setting the stage for THE SETTEE

Whew! that's a tongue twister...


You remember my Mother's Day gift from my children right? 

Well...
 I finally broke down and bought some fabric to cover it!  I was waiting for the right price and  find something I could live with--I knew I couldn't afford to just go out and buy what ever my heart desires. I had to make some concessions. 


Last week we went to Big Daddy's Flea Market in 7-Points, TX and I found a booth that had rolls and rolls of remnant upholstery fabrics.  There was no way I could have went through them all.  The dealer (Marilyn)  told me that she and her hubby were going to be 
re-organizing all of it and that next week I'd be better able to see more of the fabric and make a selection.  Well, I'm glad I didn't persist last week...because after all that re-organizing she came down on the price!  
We went back this weekend...


O, HAPPY day! 


I wasn't able to find all the yardage in the same color---but I found some that worked really well together and am able to do a TWO-TONED effect.  Honey didn't initially want to do that, but when the lady's husband told us $5.00 a yard- well, who could pass that up, even if it  HAS to be TWO-TONED? 

(this one is actually the darker of the two) 

(this one is kind of a neutral beige color)

I'm excited too, because I got  really nice neutral fabrics- a chocolate and a beige.(although you can't tell it by these photos)   I'll be able to work them into just about any where I want to in my house!  


I was also able to buy 3 of these gunny sacks;

 but I'm using them for the insides of my couch redo to cover the springs. They were a $1.00 each. 
You know me- always trying to find a way to do the project as inexpensively as possible. 


I also bought a brown chocolate-y colored rug (6 X 9) to go in the entry way of my front room. Our floors just get so cold in the winter time. I didn't take a picture of the rug-- but it was only $5.00 . 


So the fabric and burlap cost $63.00 and the settee and chair are FREE!
I hope to keep a tally of what this will cost to re-upholster this ourselves. 
No, we've never done anything like this before. 


I've been doing lots and lots of research. I've found this blog (The Upholsterer's Journal) and she has a set almost exactly like mine you can read about it here and here.  I love the pictures with the close up details that Helen shows on her blog;  she also gives very good explicit instructions. Good enough that I can follow...well, I think I can follow.  We'll see!  


I'm going to try and follow her direction.  I'm so excited.  I hope we're able to hurry and get the rest of the materials needed for this project. 


I still need to purchase.  

• Tacks (for hidden applications) 
• Tack strip (for show) 
• string (for tying the springs) 
• cording 
• foam cushions (I anticipate this being the most costly) 

**edited 01/03/11 --to say I've purchased the last two items. Cost about $83.00. Yay! still keeping cost down.


Stay tuned! 


God Bless you 
and 
Thanks for reading! 

Dysfunctional - Table Scape

We have so many people here at Thanksgiving --the food is spread on the table and people sit where they can. 


I don't even set a table-- because there is no place to sit.
It is always buffet style.  I look at all the lovely tables INCLUDING YOURS  and think ...hmmm, that would be awesome to have a beautiful table setting for Thanksgiving dinner. But then I remember-- If that were the case I...I wouldn't be surrounded by my BIG, LOUD!!!, LaUgHInG, crAAAzy, family!


Here were a few notable moments for my family today: 

• I forgot the Yams!  (I had just told Gail at My Repurposed Life that we are a yams family) And I'm the one that makes the yams only my siblings and I eat them. It was something of a tradition from our mother . None of our spouses or children eat yams-- not even my daddy.  Just three of us. So usually a small dish of yams will do. But nope not this year-- I FORGOT THEM!  It was funny to us. 
• 
  
• My oldest brother and his family were early.   My brother savored it.  They are typically bringing up the rear ;as we call it here...LATE!  
• 
  
• My youngest brother had a new gal.  He divorced recently and hasn't had anyone to spend the holidays with (except family of course) for the last 2 years.  We were giddy with anticipation. I think we all gave a nod of approval.  What's more ... I think she even liked us!  
• 
  
• I love when the guitars were brought out this year, it was my oldest son and my oldest nephew-- jamming in a corner of the kitchen.  My nephew sounds remarkably like Tom Petty!   I thought that was cool! 
• 
  
• I got a picture of my dad with each of the  3 youngest Grand-babies.  That was impressive seeing how he talks so loud he scares the baby AND he doesn't like having his picture taken... it wasn't easy, but I snapped some good shots of him with his Great grand babies!  No body was crying--miracle! 
• 
  
• The high temp today was in the 70's and that was in the morning.  It dropped around 9:00 and went down into the lower 40's and rainy.  So much for the Thanksgiving Day Picnic on the porch-- that we sometimes are accustomed to having. We were pretty cozy with all the HOT air and body heat.
• 
  
• I don't think we had any recipe disasters...well besides the forgotten Yams! But we had more food than you can imagine. We were stuffed! 
• 
  
• The smaller kids built a tower of Duplo blocks taller than my oldest nephew-- he's 6 ft 1 in! They were happy like they accomplished something...silly kids. 
• 
  

If you use your imagination you can have a pretty good glimpse of what it is like for me and my family at Thanksgiving or pretty much any holiday for that matter.  A bunch of loud, crazy, chatter and an occasional bout of screams and yells directed at the TV when the football is headed the wrong way down field. 

All in all, I am grateful to God for my family.  That I have my dad here and by brothers and families, and our own children and their ever growing families. No matter what I'm blessed and God is good to bring us together. I'm thankful for all the fun and I'm thankful for all that wasn't fun... that's what makes us a family. The good and the bad. 

If you read this entire post and have gotten this far and wondered  where the pictures are for my dyfunctional table scape... they're locked tight inside my head, with no way to retrieve them except words.  I apologize. 

I leave you with this. 

O give thanks to the LORD, for He is good;
         For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

1 Chronicles 16:34 

God Bless you and your dysfunctional family

and 

Thanks for reading! 

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hope you and yours have a blessed Thanksgiving! 

Remember to Give thanks unto the Lord from whom all blessings flow. 

God Bless you and Thanks for reading! 

Flea Market Trip

Last weekend Honey and I made a trip to the local flea market near the lake.  It's called Big Daddy's Flea Market.  


I like to go on occasion -- but being on a fixed income now, we don't go like we used to.  
But on this trip I was looking for one thing. 


SUIT CASES. 


 I am IN LOVE with this NEW Old idea revolution and  stacked storage solution!  I've seen this everywhere-- I love it.

*fleurcottage*

You may have seen these at Donna's party last weekend-- posted by Fleur Cottage.

• Absolutely beautiful!  
• I'm feeling inspired!  
• And I want some!   

I don't have any luggage except 1 very large modern, soft-sided, suitcase.  NOT what I want to decorate with. 
So here is the catch-- I'm frugal. I try not to buy things just because I want them.  I must have a purpose. 
A BONA FIDE REASON to  go buy something. 


Well, I've figured it out-  all the pictures and bibles and things we've inherited from my MIL's house after she passed came here.  In boxes! I have no idea why she didn't have albums-- but they're in boxes-- cardboard boxes. I've had to toss some of the photos because they've been eaten!  
You get the idea. 


So-- I told Honey, "oh, suitcases would be nice."  They won't be crammed in a closet somewhere-- they're easy to get to for the kids and family to look at -- and in the suitcases they'll be attractive enough to sit out in the open. 

Yay!   

I found two suitcases.  I paid $8.00 for the pair. 

 I'm so happy.

    I'm having to be creative with them, because they are old--

 and need a little  A LOT  of work!

   I don't mind.  


They'll be so pretty when I'm finished. 


I'm hoping to finish them up this weekend after Thanksgiving.


God Bless you 
and 
Thanks for reading. 

Kitchen Mantle- Bits and Pieces

Well, I've shown you the finished Mantle that Honey and I built 2 weekends ago. 


I thought I'd show you some 'during the process' photos.  They aren't really ' HOW TO'-- but you can get the idea.  



This is a picture of it complete except the Corbels and Paint.
 I like how he cut the arch over the vent-hood-- If I could do anything differently, it would be to paint the wall inside and the framing about 4 inches up...Because I'm short enough that I can see right inside if the vent-hood when the lights are off and  I can see the wall and framing. 
Remember it only cost us $26.00 for this project; 

And except for boxing it in with crown at the ceiling it is FINISHED. The CROWN will come as we continue to work on our kitchen.  It is an ongoing - open ended kind of project. 


The picture frame OR shoe molding I had gotten last year some time ;it cost $5.00 for an open box of used trim.  I've used it up on different projects. So I didn't include this in the cost-- because these were actual bits and pieces of leftover trim.  The little shelf-- a yard sale find for $1.00.  It's been in a closet in a box waiting for a purpose around the house- also not included in the over all price.  

We spent:
 $10.00 on ply wood - 3/8 inch thick (we didn't want it to be heavy)
 $  8.00 on corner trim (for the rough edges) 
 $ 3.50 on  2 - 8ft long  2X3's  (for framing) 
 $ 5.00 on  1 gallon Valspar semi-gloss (black)  Ooop! paint

  

Here you can see the 2 X 4 before it is painted (upright),you can also see the corner trim and some of the 1 X 3 framing too.  The whole box is screwed into the 2 X 4 against the wall and there is a 1 X 3 upright piece on the inside of the box at the front to help secure  it for framing.  (sorry no pictures putting that together) 

In the next picture you can see the corbels somewhat... I just traced around the store bought ones and cut four pieces out of some wood from a broken down shelf unit-- stashed in the barn-- and glued them together with Gorilla Glue and then Honey drilled holes in the back and in the 2 X 4 for wooden dowel --also a remnant(no cost) tapped the dowel into the corbel used Gorilla Glue (affiliate link)

Gorilla Glue 5201204 Glue Dries White Bottle, 2 Ounce

...and Vio`la!  


Lowe's sells some for $38 and $52 dollars each...way out of our budget.  When I got home the $6.00 corbels were too thin-- I wanted chunkier ones; but I didn't want to spend $80-100 dollars for them!  

Free: 

• 2 X 4 for frame /attachment to wall (re-purposed skid wood) 
• wood to make Corbels.  (we bought Corbels for $6.00 plus change each and are returning them) We made our own.

 This is Before: 

This is After: 

So- that's it in a nutshell. 

I'm never ever thinking to grab the camera WHILE I'm using the jig-saw or nail gun-- so I have no real 

'HOW TO' photos.  So sorry. 

God Bless you and Thanks for reading. 

   

Did I tell you I am the Matriarch of my Family?

ma·tri·arch (māˈtrē-ärkˌ)

noun

1. A woman who rules a family, clan, or tribe.
2. A woman who dominates a group or an activity.
3. A highly respected woman who is a mother.

Well,

I don't know if I 'rule' or 'dominate' our family,clan or tribe...But I am a highly respected woman who is a mother. (WINK,WINK!)

 Being the only daughter out of three children, my mother and grandmother both being deceased, and caring for my daddy (bless his heart) -He is the type of man, who needs people ,someone,in his life  guiding and directing some of his BIG decisions (so that falls to me); I'm a mother and a grand-mother ...I guess that makes me the matriarch of the family! 

I don't know why that occurred to me tonight- but it did, ok? 

I don't EVEN know if I LIKE it- but like elephants one day this will be true of me- When the matriarch dies, one of the oldest offspring takes her place.

Until then-- we'll be having Thanksgiving dinner at our house.  So, I've got some work to be doing-- I'll try and post and certainly check some of you out-- but forgive me if I'm short this week.  It's my MATRIARCHAL DUTY-- TO AT LEAST BE SHORT WITH A FEW PEOPLE! 

(source)

God Bless you

and 

Thanks for reading! 

Before the Throne of God Above

I love this song - It is my testimony! I want to share it with you. Enjoy.

God Bless you today and Thank you for listening.

Are you Decor-- Challenged?

Don't you ever get tired of the same ol' thing? 


Aren't we ready to see something fresh in the decorating scheme? 


Got no idea- how to make that certain room just POP? 


Here's an idea for ya: 


Man decorates basement with $10 worth of Sharpie
(right click to open in a new tab)

Read more: http://www.kentucky.com/2008/09/23/532854/man-decorates-basement-with-10.html#ixzz15i3fohtF


Just for fun, check it out. 


I found it quite fascinating! 


God Bless you and Thanks for reading.


Now back to your regularly scheduled blogging... go ahead blog amongst yourselves... 
Blog on! 

Life in the Retired Lane-

About a year ago I made this my 'new' motto...

I saw it cross stitched and in a little frame at a junk shop and adopted the phrase as my own.

I knew when Honey retired it was going to be so different. Honestly, I was a little scared too, with the turn the economy had taken in the year before (2008) I thought it was going to be

hard at times .   We were going to have to adapt our lifestyle a to live a little differently. Fortunately for me I had begun practicing frugality years ago. While Honey was off at work I would be here implementing ideas and strategies I had learned from reading books like  The Tightwad Gazette, Living on a Dime Cookbook;  as well as  articles from Laine's Letters and anything online I could find about living frugally. 

We had already learned to do without some things --mainly a second income. Being married to an old-fashioned guy at heart, he's never wanted me to work in all the years we've been married.  So we've been a single income family for 27 years now. 

I've learned to stretch what's in the pantry.  I've learned how to make homemade mixes and cook from scratch instead of buying boxed items in the store.   On his income alone we were always able to feed our family 8 and at times dinner guests-- we've never been hungry.

I guess its been the hardest on Honey.  He's never paid much attention to how things have gotten done around here.  He just faithfully went to work everyday and came home to a clean house, hot shower and supper on the table.  He's had to find ways to stay busy.  He is also learning ways to make something from nothing.   My Granny calls it 'doing wonders with rotten cucumbers' .  

So, this year when our income dropped a considerable amount-- and we still had a mortgage to pay and some other debt to payoff, I knew some of life's luxuries or little pleasures were going to have to go.  

We got rid of our house phone, cable, and internet.  We paid off credit card debt and currently are working on paying down a collateral loan.  We kept our cell phones and only use these now.   We made strides in these areas enough so that now we're able to return to internet service. We were also able to shop around for internet and  found it at a cheaper price.  It just so happened that around the time we were checking internet prices, this company was running a special on installation-- my favorite part was there is no contract!   To replace cable we went back to our HD converter box and purchased an outside HD antenna to mount on our aerial antenna. This works so much better now and we don't have to pay for programming.  

I learned a lot from this experience.  The main thing is that you can live without the internet and you can live without cable.   I make no excuse; I must admit, I justify the internet by saying I am able to sell things online to supplement our income on occasion, for example, I was able to sell some homeschooling books online last spring and buy parts for our mower through eBay and pay for them using my pay-pal account.   I also use the internet to pay bills and reach out to friends and family. 

Overall-- the last 5 months to almost a year now, I've enjoyed the challenges in continuing to make our house a happy home.  I look forward to seeing what challenges the next year brings our way! 

Have you made changes in the last few years? Cut backs in your home or lifestyle? 

Maybe you have tips or ideas on this topic... I hope you share them in the comments. 

God Bless you 

and

Thanks for reading! 

Inherited Leftovers

Over the summer my husband and his brothers went to Arkansas to clean out his mom's house (she passed last October) They brought back all the furniture and stored it here in a storage facility. The siblings all reconvened at the storage building weeks later and got what they wanted.  

 I already showed you all the only thing I ever wanted ---these super cool vintage swags! 

They still hang in their semi- permanent place (more on that later) 

But for now this is about all the left-overs we inherited.

Honey was determined I couldn't have -- by " have" I mean 'ask for' or " call dibs"on - any of his mothers furniture.  

So piece by piece I saw lovely pieces that I new would look good here or there go to one of 6 other siblings and daughter- in- laws homes. 

I was sort of crushed. 

When it was said and done I ended up with ...

two chairs

(a rocker recliner and a swivel rocker) 

(little blurry, sorry)

a small desk 

an early american style bed

(seen partially here)

an entertainment center -- (I've got plans for this out dated baby) 

Not pictured---

a 5 piece bedroom set 

(two side table, chest of drawers, dresser and mirror)

2 full mattress sets

Early American Dinette table and 4 chairs 

1 of 3 pair of lamps, 

All of which found new homes with my children--

2 pair of lamps 

All of Great Granny's hand painted pictures 

1 spare bedside table

Boxes of new towels 

all the textiles... 

sheets, comforts, crocheted and quilted afghans, all the cross-stitching and sewing supplies,

a few dishes 

my Honey's childhood cookie jar and some old bowls. 

Knick-knacks galore! 

All the Ephemera, photographs, and family bibles. 

I don't know if it's a blessing or a curse getting leftovers. But I'm not crushed anymore...except maybe under the weight of all this furniture! 

So as you probably figured out I've gotten some blogging to do. 

As always God Bless you and Thanks for reading. 

A Sensible Chic Kitchen Mantle ?

**I know everyone has seen this post a bunch--- but it is my only, MAGAZINE COPY that I've ever done.  Not big into those, really. But it was fun. 

So, I'm posting here at Debbie Doos 

If you're here from her party WELCOME! AND...  for the first time ever you get to see my Kitchen mantle... Enjoy! 

Did you ever watch that show? Sensible Chic--- they take a Ritzy  HIGH-END professionally-decorated room and make it over for you on the cheap. Some times they come pretty close to the original. 

It was one of the favorites that I'd watch on HGTV the year we had dish. It doesn't take long to get addicted to that channel. But... I'm not really a TV watcher so I don't miss the dish now that we no longer have it (we only had it year anyway) 

I always thought it would be cool to do a Sensible Chic - MAKEOVER

Because, well, honestly... I am just stumped for ideas when it comes to decorating!  I haven't gotten out of the 'old decor'- meaning I still decorate my same ol' way.  But more than anything I want my home to look current. FRESH!  So I check out YOUR BLOGS and I read magazines and I come up with ideas to give a twist and make my own. 

But last week I came across a picture on the front of this magazine and said," I want that mantle for my kitchen!" 

**BHG special interest publication

(sorry the only photo I could find was the cover picture) 

In the article there is no price given for the mantle in this picture; so I don't know what to price compare really.  I only know what spent on ours. See for yourself.  I'm absolutely 

THRILLED TO SEE HOW IT TURNED OUT! 

 They finished their mantle off with crown molding and that is to be another project in our kitchen hopefully soon; But for now I couldn't be happier with my new mantle.  I think it sets off my 1956 Chambers Range so nicely.  For years I've thought my range just sat there looking like a sore thumb and then I found the perfect stainless steel vent hood to compliment it by Broan ... and now... 

I think this mantle gives it PRESENCE !!!!! 

So... 
what do you think? 
I copied some of the detail like the picture frame/molding panel and the crown molding shelf.  They aren't so noticeable --  I probably need to do a glaze treatment or some distressing to make them POP AND STAND OUT.


Not bad for $26.00- huh? That's including a $5.00 can BLACK oops! paint. The shelf I scored last year sometime at Bargain Land for $1 and the small molding I had in my stash,also from Bargain Land. I even cut out the corbels myself and saved $12.00  or $100 (depending on which ones you buy from Lowe's) Here they are side by side: 

I know I cheated and I didn't make-over a whole room; but our Sensible Chic kitchen is a work in progress. If you remember (and you probably don't) I like what is called an UNFITTED KITCHEN-- meaning it doesn't all matchy-match and it looks like an old kitchen with furniture pieces instead of a set of cabinets. Highly functional- but put together over time. 

That's what I've been up to the last couple of days just thught I'd share it with you and see what you thought. 

God Bless you and Thanks for reading!  

(I'm so thankful I have the internet again-- wink!) 

***EDITED~ I'm adding this  BEFORE PHOTO 

and posting to 

The Virginia House 

We Can Do it Cheaper Monthly Party